Effect of a food aid program on BMI/A of Mexican children, mediated by diet (251.3)

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a Mexican Food Aid Program (Programa de Apoyo Alimentario, PAL) on Body Mass Index for Age (BMI/A) and the role of diet of < 5 y. Design: Secondary analysis of a program impact evaluation using a cluster randomized control effectiveness trial design. Setting: Poor and rural households in southern Mexico. Subjects: We analyzed a sample of 2,100 beneficiary children < 5 y from 206 communities that were randomly assigned to receive monthly transfers of either a food basket, with (FBE) or without (FB) an education (E) component, or cash with E (~14 USD/month) vs. a control group. Results: PAL did not contribute to an unhealthy weight of beneficiary children < 5 y as expressed as BMI/A z‐scores. Children in the FBE group had lower BMI/A z‐scores than those children in the control group (p=0.027). This effect is explained by a higher fruit and vegetables consumption and by a smaller sweet consumption in children belonging to the FBE group.