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Effect of early, short-term supplementation on weight and linear growth of 4-7-mo-old infants in developing
K B Simondon1, A Gartner, J Berger
1ORSTOM, Institut Français de Recherche Scientifique pour le Développement en Coopération, Montpellier, France.
Insights
Supplementing infant diets with cereal-based porridge improved length growth in Senegal but not in other countries. This study highlights varied responses to nutritional interventions in infants across different regions.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Pediatric Growth Studies
- International Health Interventions
Background:
- Infant malnutrition remains a global health challenge.
- Nutritional supplementation is a key strategy to improve child growth and development.
- Understanding regional variations in intervention effectiveness is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of a cereal-based porridge supplement on infant growth.
- To compare the effectiveness of supplementation across four diverse international settings.
- To identify factors influencing growth response to nutritional interventions.
Main Methods:
- Four controlled randomized trials were conducted in the Congo, Senegal, Bolivia, and New Caledonia.
- Four-month-old infants were assigned to supplement or control groups for 3 months.
- Supplement consumption and infant length and weight were monitored.
Main Results:
- Supplementation showed a significant positive effect on length increment (0.48 cm) in Senegal (P < 0.05).
- No significant differences in length or weight increments were observed in the Congo, Bolivia, or New Caledonia.
- Infant feeding practices, including breastfeeding duration, varied across study sites.
Conclusions:
- Cereal-based supplementation can positively impact infant length growth in specific populations, as seen in Senegal.
- The effectiveness of infant nutritional interventions is influenced by local dietary patterns and other contextual factors.
- Further research is needed to optimize supplementation strategies for diverse infant populations globally.
Abstract:
The effect of supplementation on growth was tested by means of four similar controlled randomized trials in the Congo (n = 120), Senegal (n = 110), Bolivia (n = 127), and New Caledonia (n = 90). Four-month-old infants were randomly allocated to supplement or control groups. A cereal-based precooked porridge was offered twice daily for 3 mo and consumption was monitored. Both groups were free to eat local food. At 7 mo of age, all infants were still breast-fed in the Congo, Senegal, and Bolivia compared with 47% in New Caledonia. Mean daily consumption of the supplement varied among countries (558-790 kJ/d). Mean length at 4 mo was lowest in Bolivia, higher in Senegal and the Congo, and near the National Center for Health Statistics reference in New Caledonia. The mean 4-7 mo length increment was 0.48 cm higher for supplemented than for control infants in Senegal (P < 0.05), whereas weight increments did not differ. No significant effect was found in the other countries.