The Nutritional Status of Individuals Adopted Internationally as Children: A Systematic Review
Since 1955, international adoption has been a way of finding homes for children who have been orphaned or abandoned. We aimed to describe the nutritional status of individuals adopted internationally and their long-term nutritional and health outcomes. We searched four databases for articles publish...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/1/245 |
| _version_ | 1797410754513600512 |
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| author | Richard Ivey Marko Kerac Michael Quiring Hang T. Dam Susie Doig Emily DeLacey |
| author_facet | Richard Ivey Marko Kerac Michael Quiring Hang T. Dam Susie Doig Emily DeLacey |
| author_sort | Richard Ivey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Since 1955, international adoption has been a way of finding homes for children who have been orphaned or abandoned. We aimed to describe the nutritional status of individuals adopted internationally and their long-term nutritional and health outcomes. We searched four databases for articles published from January 1995 to June 2020, which included information on anthropometric or micronutrient status of children adopted internationally (CAI). Mean Z-scores on arrival to adoptive country ranged from −2.04 to −0.31 for weight for age; −0.94 to 0.39 for weight for height; −0.7 to 0 for body mass index; −1.89 to −0.03 for height for age; −1.43 to 0.80 for head circumference for age. Older children, those adopted from institutionalized care or with underlying disability, were more likely to be malnourished. Though long-term data was scarce, mean Z-scores post-adoption ranged from −0.59 to 0.53 for weight for age; −0.31 to 1.04 for weight for height; 0.39 to 1.04 for body mass index; −1.09 to 0.58 for height for age; −0.06 to 1.23 for head circumference for age. We conclude that though CAI are at high risk of malnutrition at baseline, marked catch-up growth is possible, including for those older than two years of age on arrival. This has implications not only for CAI but for the wider population of malnourished children worldwide. Research on how to optimize catch-up growth is a priority. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:34:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4d1d10e9a11345f0a73061a0d8521330 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:34:47Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-4d1d10e9a11345f0a73061a0d85213302023-12-03T13:29:56ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432021-01-0113124510.3390/nu13010245The Nutritional Status of Individuals Adopted Internationally as Children: A Systematic ReviewRichard Ivey0Marko Kerac1Michael Quiring2Hang T. Dam3Susie Doig4Emily DeLacey5Department of Population Health, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of London, London WC1E 7HU, UKDepartment of Population Health, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of London, London WC1E 7HU, UKHolt International, Eugene, OR 97401, USAHolt International, Eugene, OR 97401, USAHolt International, Eugene, OR 97401, USADepartment of Population Health, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of London, London WC1E 7HU, UKSince 1955, international adoption has been a way of finding homes for children who have been orphaned or abandoned. We aimed to describe the nutritional status of individuals adopted internationally and their long-term nutritional and health outcomes. We searched four databases for articles published from January 1995 to June 2020, which included information on anthropometric or micronutrient status of children adopted internationally (CAI). Mean Z-scores on arrival to adoptive country ranged from −2.04 to −0.31 for weight for age; −0.94 to 0.39 for weight for height; −0.7 to 0 for body mass index; −1.89 to −0.03 for height for age; −1.43 to 0.80 for head circumference for age. Older children, those adopted from institutionalized care or with underlying disability, were more likely to be malnourished. Though long-term data was scarce, mean Z-scores post-adoption ranged from −0.59 to 0.53 for weight for age; −0.31 to 1.04 for weight for height; 0.39 to 1.04 for body mass index; −1.09 to 0.58 for height for age; −0.06 to 1.23 for head circumference for age. We conclude that though CAI are at high risk of malnutrition at baseline, marked catch-up growth is possible, including for those older than two years of age on arrival. This has implications not only for CAI but for the wider population of malnourished children worldwide. Research on how to optimize catch-up growth is a priority.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/1/245international adoptionchildrennutritional statusmalnutritiongrowth |
| spellingShingle | Richard Ivey Marko Kerac Michael Quiring Hang T. Dam Susie Doig Emily DeLacey The Nutritional Status of Individuals Adopted Internationally as Children: A Systematic Review Nutrients international adoption children nutritional status malnutrition growth |
| title | The Nutritional Status of Individuals Adopted Internationally as Children: A Systematic Review |
| title_full | The Nutritional Status of Individuals Adopted Internationally as Children: A Systematic Review |
| title_fullStr | The Nutritional Status of Individuals Adopted Internationally as Children: A Systematic Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Nutritional Status of Individuals Adopted Internationally as Children: A Systematic Review |
| title_short | The Nutritional Status of Individuals Adopted Internationally as Children: A Systematic Review |
| title_sort | nutritional status of individuals adopted internationally as children a systematic review |
| topic | international adoption children nutritional status malnutrition growth |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/1/245 |
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