Author:
Rahman Aminur,Bhuiyan Mohammad Badrul,Das Sumon Kumar
Abstract
AbstractBackgroundTimely, adequate and appropriate Complementary Feeding (CF) is essential for the growth and cognitive development of infants, but until today, evidence-based information is scarce in terms of impact evaluation of CF index (CFI). The study aimed to examine the effect of the short-term intervention of promoting CF practices on the nutritional status of infants in rural Bangladesh.MethodsAn educational-intervention study followed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design (NCT03024710). Mothers and family members in the intervention arm received intensive counselling on CF through community health workers (CHWs), whereas existing healthcare services were received in the comparison arm. The study was carried out in the rural Matlab sub-district of Bangladesh between April 2011 and March 2013. In the specified study areas among 360 mother-infant pairs systematically assigned into intervention group and comparison group. Short-term educational intervention on CF was provided for the intervention group and existing services were un-intervened for the comparison group. The outcome of interventions was evaluated after the implementation period using Generalized equation estimation model.ResultsAt baseline, the study participants were not different except mean height (p = 0.04), weight-for-age Z score (WAZ) (p = 0.03) and religion (p = 0.04) in between two groups. The mean CFI was significantly higher at intervention area than the comparison and higher category of CFI (score 10 or more) was significantly higher at intervention area than comparison. After adjustment, one-unit CFI increased height-for-age z score by 0.07 units and decreased WAZ by 0.13 units in the intervention group but not significantly changed observed at comparison group.ConclusionGuided short-term nutritional intervention and developed CFI indicated a significantly better score in intervention area than comparison groups and would be a well adaptable tool for future studies.Trial registrationThe trial was registered (NCT03024710) at clinical trial registration website. Date of registration: 1/19/2017.Name of the registry:Clinical Trial.gov.Date of registration:19/1/2017 (retrospective registered).URL of trial:https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03024710
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health,Nutrition and Dietetics,Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism,Medicine (miscellaneous)
Reference31 articles.
1. Black RE, Bhutta ZA, Alderman H, Ruel M, Gillespie S, Haddad L. Maternal and child nutrition - authors’ reply. Lancet. 2013;382(9904):1551–2.
2. Black MM, Walker SP, Wachs TD, Ulkuer N, Gardner JM, Grantham-McGregor S, et al. Policies to reduce undernutrition include child development. Lancet. 2008;371(9611):454–5.
3. Nguyen PH, Menon P, Ruel M, Hajeebhoy N. A situational review of infant and young child feeding practices and interventions in Viet Nam. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2011;20(3):359–74.
4. World Health Organization. Report of Informal Meeting to Review and Develop Indicators for Complementary Feeding. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2015.
5. Lassi ZS, Das JK, Zahid G, C. BM. Impact of education and provision of complementary feeding on growth and morbidity in children less than 2 years of age in developing countries: a systematic review. Health. 2003;13(Suppl):S13. 2013;3 SRC - BaiduScholar.