The Effects of Multiple Micronutrient Fortified Beverage and Responsive Caregiving Interventions on Early Childhood Development, Hemoglobin, and Ferritin among Infants in Rural Guatemala

Authors

Alysse J. Kowalski, University of Maryland at BaltimoreFollow
Victor Alfonso Mayen, Asociación para la Prevención y Estudio del VIH/SidaFollow
Silvia de Ponce, Asociación para la Prevención y Estudio del VIH/SidaFollow
Kaley B. Lambden, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthFollow
Nick Tilton, University of Maryland School of MedicineFollow
Lisa M. Villanueva, The Mathile Institute for the Advancement of Human NutritionFollow
Ana M. Palacios, Georgia Southern University, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public HealthFollow
Greg A. Reinhart, The Mathile Institute for the Advancement of Human NutritionFollow
Kristen M. Hurley, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Maureen M. Black, University of Maryland School of Medicine

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-25-2023

Publication Title

Nutrients

DOI

10.3390/nu15092062

Abstract

Undernutrition and a lack of learning opportunities can jeopardize long-term growth and development among infants in low- and middle-income countries. We conducted a 6-month 2 × 2 cluster-randomized trial to assess the effects of multiple micronutrient-fortified beverages and responsive caregiving interventions among infants 6–18 months in 72 community sectors in southwest Guatemala. We administered baseline and endline assessments of childhood development (Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development) and socioemotional development (Brief Infant Toddler Socio-Emotional Assessment) and measured ferritin and hemoglobin on a subsample. The trial was analyzed using linear mixed models. At the baseline, the mean age (SD) was 13.0 (4.6) months, including 49% males, 32% who were stunted, 55% who were anemic, and 58% who were iron deficient. At the endline (n = 328/386, 85% retention), there was no synergistic effect on the fortified beverage and responsive caregiving intervention. Compared to the non-fortified beverage group, socioemotional development improved in the fortified beverage group. There were no intervention effects on other measures of child development, hemoglobin, or ferritin. In a setting with high rates of anemia and iron deficiency, a multiple micronutrient-fortified beverage improved infants’ socioemotional development.

Comments

Georgia Southern University faculty member, Ana M. Palacios co-authored The Effects of Multiple Micronutrient Fortified Beverage and Responsive Caregiving Interventions on Early Childhood Development, Hemoglobin, and Ferritin among Infants in Rural Guatemala.

Recommended Citation

Kowalski, Alysse J., Victor Alfonso Mayen, Silvia de Ponce, Kaley B. Lambden, Nick Tilton, Lisa M. Villanueva, Ana M. Palacios, Greg A. Reinhart, Kristen M. Hurley, Maureen M. Black. 2023. "The Effects of Multiple Micronutrient Fortified Beverage and Responsive Caregiving Interventions on Early Childhood Development, Hemoglobin, and Ferritin among Infants in Rural Guatemala." Nutrients, 15: MDPI. doi: 10.3390/nu15092062
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/hpmb-facpubs/247

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.