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Growth of poor rural Chinese children fed meat as a daily complementary food from 6–18 months of age
Author(s) -
Hambidge K Michael,
Sheng Xiaoyang,
Westcott Jamie,
Sun QianQian,
Hu YangQi,
Liu JinRong,
Liu ShanShan,
Zhang Jie,
Ma JinQiu,
Geng ShanShan,
Krebs Nancy F
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.355.6
Subject(s) - medicine , micronutrient , anthropometry , zoology , linear growth , population , demography , environmental health , mathematics , pathology , sociology , biology
Objective To determine the efficacy of a daily intake of meat as a complementary food from 6–18 mo on linear growth in a poor rural Chinese population. Methods The project was an unmasked RCT with cluster design in which 60 rural villages were randomly assigned to three groups. The daily interventions were 50g pork (M), equi‐caloric micronutrient‐fortified cereal‐based supplement (FC), and local non‐fortified rice supplement (UC) respectively. Anthropometry was performed at 6 and 18 mo. Results 1465 subjects were enrolled at 6 mo of age (511M; 465 FC; 489 UC). At 18 mo old, 1317 subjects completed follow up (462 M; 436 FC; 419 UC). After adjustment for baseline values and mother's education levels, between M and FC, estimated Δ linear growth over 12 mo was 0.399 cm (95% CI: 0.163–0.636 cm, P=0.001), and LAZ was 0.137 (95% CI: 0.053–0.221, P=0.001) by pairwise comparisons. Mean (SD) LAZ, WAZ, & WLZ are given in table. Conclusion Meat was associated with a significantly higher linear growth rate. However treatment group differences were small. Mean LAZ was low at 6 mo and declined further by 18 mo in all groups. Support: Thrasher Research Foundation; Sci & Tech Commission of Shanghai Municipality; Shanghai Key Lab of Ped Gastroenter & Nutr; Nat'l Natural Sci Foundation of China.