The Efficacy of Fish as an Early Complementary Food on the Linear Growth of Infants Aged 6–7 Months: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Fish is a good animal-source protein for growth and development. The main objective of the study was to assess the efficacy of fish during the early complementary feeding period on infants’ linear growth in the Samfya district of the Luapula Province of Zambia in 6 months randomised controlled trial...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/11/2191 |
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| author | Given Chipili Averalda Van Graan Carl J. Lombard Evette Van Niekerk |
| author_facet | Given Chipili Averalda Van Graan Carl J. Lombard Evette Van Niekerk |
| author_sort | Given Chipili |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Fish is a good animal-source protein for growth and development. The main objective of the study was to assess the efficacy of fish during the early complementary feeding period on infants’ linear growth in the Samfya district of the Luapula Province of Zambia in 6 months randomised controlled trial. The study was conducted from April 2019 to January 2020. Infants aged 6–7 months (<i>N</i> = 238) were assigned to either the intervention (treatment) group or control (placebo) group to receive fish powder or sorghum powder, respectively. Participants were followed on a weekly basis to distribute the powder and record compliance/usage and any morbidities. Anthropometric measurements were taken monthly. A linear mixed-effects model showed that fish powder improved linear growth among infants over all the 6 months of the intervention period. The fish powder increased length-for-age z scores by 1.26 (95% CI: 0.94–1.57) and weight-for-age z score by 0.95 (95% CI 0.6–1.23). The addition of fish powder to the infant’s usual food during the early complementary feeding improves the infant’s linear growth outcome. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:00:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4001209c9e754081a90cedf112bad580 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:00:29Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-4001209c9e754081a90cedf112bad5802023-11-23T14:34:59ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432022-05-011411219110.3390/nu14112191The Efficacy of Fish as an Early Complementary Food on the Linear Growth of Infants Aged 6–7 Months: A Randomised Controlled TrialGiven Chipili0Averalda Van Graan1Carl J. Lombard2Evette Van Niekerk3Department of Nutritional Sciences, Mukuba University, Itimpi, Off Chingola Road, P.O. Box 20382, Kitwe 50100, ZambiaDivision of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie Van Zijl Drive, Tygerberg 7505, Cape Town P.O. Box 19063, South AfricaDivision of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie Van Zijl Drive, Tygerberg 7505, Cape Town P.O. Box 19063, South AfricaDivision of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie Van Zijl Drive, Tygerberg 7505, Cape Town P.O. Box 19063, South AfricaFish is a good animal-source protein for growth and development. The main objective of the study was to assess the efficacy of fish during the early complementary feeding period on infants’ linear growth in the Samfya district of the Luapula Province of Zambia in 6 months randomised controlled trial. The study was conducted from April 2019 to January 2020. Infants aged 6–7 months (<i>N</i> = 238) were assigned to either the intervention (treatment) group or control (placebo) group to receive fish powder or sorghum powder, respectively. Participants were followed on a weekly basis to distribute the powder and record compliance/usage and any morbidities. Anthropometric measurements were taken monthly. A linear mixed-effects model showed that fish powder improved linear growth among infants over all the 6 months of the intervention period. The fish powder increased length-for-age z scores by 1.26 (95% CI: 0.94–1.57) and weight-for-age z score by 0.95 (95% CI 0.6–1.23). The addition of fish powder to the infant’s usual food during the early complementary feeding improves the infant’s linear growth outcome.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/11/2191fishcomplementary feedinginfantsgrowthZambia |
| spellingShingle | Given Chipili Averalda Van Graan Carl J. Lombard Evette Van Niekerk The Efficacy of Fish as an Early Complementary Food on the Linear Growth of Infants Aged 6–7 Months: A Randomised Controlled Trial Nutrients fish complementary feeding infants growth Zambia |
| title | The Efficacy of Fish as an Early Complementary Food on the Linear Growth of Infants Aged 6–7 Months: A Randomised Controlled Trial |
| title_full | The Efficacy of Fish as an Early Complementary Food on the Linear Growth of Infants Aged 6–7 Months: A Randomised Controlled Trial |
| title_fullStr | The Efficacy of Fish as an Early Complementary Food on the Linear Growth of Infants Aged 6–7 Months: A Randomised Controlled Trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Efficacy of Fish as an Early Complementary Food on the Linear Growth of Infants Aged 6–7 Months: A Randomised Controlled Trial |
| title_short | The Efficacy of Fish as an Early Complementary Food on the Linear Growth of Infants Aged 6–7 Months: A Randomised Controlled Trial |
| title_sort | efficacy of fish as an early complementary food on the linear growth of infants aged 6 7 months a randomised controlled trial |
| topic | fish complementary feeding infants growth Zambia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/11/2191 |
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