Nutritional Advice El Mondo
Objectives:
Small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNSs) were designed to provide multiple micronutrients within a food base that also provides energy, protein and essential fatty acids, targeted towards preventing malnutrition in vulnerable populations. Previous meta-analyses demonstrated beneficial effects of SQ-LNSs on child growth, anemia and mortality. However, to further examine the efficacy and effectiveness of SQ-LNSs and explore study-level and individual-level effect modifiers, this review article has been conducted.
Do small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements reduce child malnutrition and promote healthy development?
Study design:
This review article included 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNSs) provided to children 6-24 months of age ( n = 37,066).
Most trials began child supplementation with SQ-LNSs at 6 mo of age and the intended duration ranged from 6 to 18 mo of supplementation; 4 trials included intervention arms that also provided SQ-LNSs to mothers during pregnancy and the first 6 mo postpartum.
All trials provided peanut- and milk-based SQ-LNS in at least 1 of the arms.
Results and conclusions:
The investigators found children who received small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements had a 12-14% lower prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight compared with control group children.
The investigators found children who received small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements were 16-19% less likely to score in the lowest decile for language, social-emotional and motor development compared with control group children.
The investigators found children who received small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements had a 16% lower prevalence of anemia and had a 64% lower prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia compared with control group children.
The investigators found for most outcomes, beneficial effects of small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements were evident regardless of study-level characteristics, including region, stunting burden, malaria prevalence, sanitation, water quality, duration of supplementation, frequency of contact or average reported compliance with small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements.
The investigators found for development, the benefits of small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements were greater in populations with higher stunting burden, in households with lower socioeconomic status and among acutely malnourished children.
The investigators found for hemoglobin and iron status, benefits were greater in populations with higher anemia prevalence and among acutely malnourished children, respectively.
The investigators concluded that small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements reduce child malnutrition and promote healthy development. Therefore, policymakers and program planners should consider including small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements in strategies to reduce child mortality, stunting, wasting, anemia, iron deficiency and delayed development.
Original title:
Small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements for the prevention of child malnutrition and promotion of healthy development: overview of individual participant data meta-analysis and programmatic implications by Dewey KG, L Prado EL, […], Arnold CD.
Link:
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ajcn/nqab279/6378016
Additional information of El Mondo:
Find more information/studies on RCTs/cohort/significantly/review article, food fortification and malnutrition right here.