Related Experiment Videos
[Effect of a supplementary feeding program on height growth in children]
1Unidad de Epidemiología Nutricional, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile.
Insights
Supplementation did not significantly improve height in low-income children. Economic status appears to be a more critical factor for growth than nutritional supplements alone.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutritional Science
- Public Health
Context:
- Focuses on low-income children under two years with mild height deficits.
- Examines the impact of Chile's National Complementary Feeding Program.
Purpose:
- To compare height/age variation in supplemented vs. unsupplemented children with mild deficits.
- To evaluate the efficacy of nutritional supplements in improving growth parameters.
Summary:
- Both supplemented (experimental) and unsupplemented (control) groups showed statistically significant height gains over 12 months.
- The control group exhibited a greater improvement in height compared to the supplemented group.
- Suggests socioeconomic factors may be more influential than supplements for growth in this population.
Impact:
- Highlights the potential limitations of high-calorie/protein supplements in addressing mild height deficits.
- Emphasizes the significant role of general family economic status improvement in child growth.
- Informs public health policy regarding nutritional interventions for vulnerable populations.
Abstract:
The general objective of this study was to compare the variation exhibited in height/age by a group of low income children (when they were under 2 years) who had a mild deficit in this parameter and who received an important supplement, with another group with the same deficit who did not receive it. To achieve this objective we obtained a sample of children who were beneficiaries of Chile's National Complementary Feeding Program. The experimental group included children from the so called reinforced component of that program and the control group from the basic one. The results showed that after 12 months of observation, both groups gained in height, being those increments statistically significantly. Interestingly, the improvement was greater in the control group. The authors argue that with the nutritional situation that our country exhibits presently, that is, a very small percentage of low wt/age and around 18% to 24% of low income children with a mild deficit in height, a general improvement of the family's economic status probably produces a larger effect on this indicator than a high calorie/protein supplement.