Nutritional Advice El Mondo
Objectives:
A large body of evidence suggests that the first 1000 days from conception is a critical window in which interventions to address malnutrition will be most effective, but little is known about the impact on linear growth of nutritional interventions in children ≥2 years of age. Therefore, this meta-analysis (review article) has been conducted.
What is the effectiveness of several nutrition-based interventions, specifically iron, zinc, calcium, iodine, vitamin A, multiple (≥2) micronutrients, protein and food, at improving growth in children ≥2 years of age?
Study design:
This review article included 69 studies.
Results and conclusions:
The investigators found that zinc [mean effect size = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.06-0.24], vitamin A [mean effect size = 0.05, 95% CI = 0.01-0.09], multiple micronutrients [mean effect size = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.13-0.39] and protein [mean effect size = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.30-1.05] had significant positive effects on linear growth, with baseline height-for-age z score as a significant inverse predictor of the effect size.
The investigators found, however, that iron, calcium, iodine and food-based interventions had no significant effect on growth.
The investigators found that age at baseline, study duration and dose were not related to effect size for any nutrient examined.
The investigators concluded that zinc, vitamin A, multiple micronutrients and protein interventions delivered after 24 months of age have a positive effect on linear growth, especially in populations that have experienced growth failure.
Original title:
The Impact of Nutritional Interventions beyond the First 2 Years of Life on Linear Growth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis by Roberts JL and Stein AD.
Link:
http://advances.nutrition.org/content/8/2/323.abstract
Additional information of El Mondo:
Find more information/studies on food fortification/malnutrition, zinc, protein and vitamin A right here.