Related Experiment Videos

Probability, plausibility, and adequacy evaluations of the Oriente Study demonstrate that supplementation improved

Jean-Pierre Habicht1, Reynaldo Martorell

  • 1Division of Nutrition Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. jh48@cornell.edu

The Journal of Nutrition
|December 25, 2009
PubMed

Insights

The high-nutrient supplement Atole significantly improved child growth, particularly in children under three experiencing diarrhea. This nutritional intervention demonstrated causal effects on child length, showing high biological efficacy at the individual level.

Area of Science:

  • Nutrition Science
  • Pediatric Health
  • Public Health Interventions

Background:

  • Child growth is a critical indicator of health and development.
  • Nutritional deficiencies significantly impede child growth, especially in vulnerable populations.
  • The Oriente study investigated the impact of a high-nutrient supplement on child growth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present evidence on the effectiveness of the Atole supplement in improving child growth.
  • To analyze the causal effect, plausibility, adequacy, and population-level impact of the intervention.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a randomized controlled trial with probability analyses to assess causality.
  • Conducted plausibility analyses examining wasting and subgroup effects (age, diarrhea).
  • Performed adequacy analyses for biological efficacy at individual and population levels.

Main Results:

  • Atole showed a statistically significant causal effect on child length (P < 0.05).
  • Nutritional impact was attributed to Atole, especially in children under 3 with diarrhea.
  • Excellent biological efficacy was observed at the individual level, but population-level impact was reduced due to incomplete participation.

Conclusions:

  • The Atole supplement effectively improved child growth, demonstrating a causal link to increased length.
  • The intervention's effectiveness is most pronounced in young children suffering from diarrhea.
  • External validity is likely good for populations with similar dietary and healthcare contexts.

Related Concept Videos

Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience, such as differences...
Environmental Influences on Intelligence01:29

Environmental Influences on Intelligence

Despite the strong genetic influence on traits like intelligence, environmental factors significantly shape outcomes. For example, while over 90% of height variation is due to genetic differences, environmental factors such as nutrition also have a notable impact. Similarly, for intelligence, changes in a child's surroundings can significantly alter their IQ. Research shows that enriched environments boost children's academic success and help them develop key cognitive skills. Children from...
Study Designs in Epidemiology01:20

Study Designs in Epidemiology

Epidemiological study designs are fundamental tools for investigating the distribution, determinants, and control of health conditions in populations. They help researchers understand the relationships between exposures and outcomes, and they broadly fall into two categories: "observational" and "experimental" studies.
Observational studies are those where the researcher does not intervene but rather observes natural variations. They include cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control studies.
The Placebo Effect01:54

The Placebo Effect

The placebo effect occurs when people's expectations or beliefs influence or determine their experience in a given situation. In other words, simply expecting something to happen can actually make it happen.
What is an Experiment?01:12

What is an Experiment?

An experiment is a planned activity carried out under controlled conditions. The purpose of an experiment is to investigate the relationship between two variables. When one variable causes change in another, we call the first variable the explanatory or independent variable. The affected variable is called the response or dependent variable. In a randomized experiment, the researcher manipulates values of the explanatory variable and measures the resulting changes in the response variable. The...
Bioavailability Study Design: Absolute Versus Relative Bioavailability01:27

Bioavailability Study Design: Absolute Versus Relative Bioavailability

Bioavailability is a crucial pharmacokinetic parameter that quantifies the proportion of an administered drug that reaches the systemic circulation and is available for therapeutic action. Regulatory agencies mandate the assessment of bioavailability, typically measured as the area under the drug plasma concentration-versus-time curve (AUC), to ensure the efficacy and safety of pharmaceutical products. These evaluations are categorized as absolute and relative bioavailability studies.Absolute...