Effect of providing a micronutrient‐fortified corn/soy atole or milk powder on linear growth in young Guatemalan children (828.6)

• Published in: The FASEB journal Vol. 28; no. S1
• Main Authors: Villanueva, Lisa, Ponce, Silvia, Alfonso, Victor, Reinhart, Gregory
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology 01-04-2014
• ISSN: 0892-6638; 1530-6860
• DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.828.6

A community‐based feeding study was undertaken in Retalhuleu among 939 malnourished 6‐72 mo old children (HAZ <‐1). Children resided in 18 villages in an impoverished region of southwest Guatemala. Children were randomly assigned to two groups to compare effects of two nutritional interventions on growth and micronutrient status. Group A (n=667) children received 18.75 g of Chispuditos®, a corn/soy atole fortified with 21 vitamins and minerals (delivering 12.5 mg of iron and 9 mg of zinc per day). Group B (n=272) children received an equivalent portion by weight of lactose free milk (diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous). At the conclusion of 12 mo, the average HAZ score of Group A children increased 12.0% from ‐2.76 to ‐2.43 (p<.01) and by 7.3%, from ‐2.87 to ‐2.66 (p<0.01) in Group B. Children from both dietary groups exhibited improvements in linear growth, with Group A having a greater increase in HAZ than Group B (p=0.01). Formative research conducted with the micronutrient‐fortified corn/soy atole revealed the product was well accepted by both primary caretakers and children. During the study time period Chispuditos was one‐third the cost of lactose free milk and provided a greater linear growth benefit. In conclusion, Chispuditos® is a culturally accepted, fortified atole that improves the health and nutritional status of children from 6‐72 mo of age in a more cost‐efficient manner compared to milk powder.
Grant Funding Source: The Mathile Institute for the Advancement of Human Nutrition®