Peer-reviewed article
Effect of Locally Formulated Complementary Foods on Anthropometric Parameters and Micronutrient Status in Children (6-23 Months) in Enugu State, Nigeria: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Ngozi Mercy Nnam, Peace Nwanneka Ani, Ngozi Elizabeth Chukwuemeka ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study tested whether locally made complementary foods could improve nutrition in Nigerian children aged 6 to 23 months. Forty children were randomly assigned to eat either experimental diets made from combinations of maize, soybean, termite flour, fishbone powder, pawpaw, and pumpkin, or a standard control diet for 90 days. Children eating the most complex experimental diet showed larger improvements in height and arm size, and significant increases in blood hemoglobin, iron, and zinc levels compared to other groups.
Key points
- The Maize-Soybean-Termite-Fishbone-Pawpaw-Pumpkin (MaSoTFPP) diet showed the largest percentage increase in height and mid-upper arm circumference
- Children fed experimental diets demonstrated enhanced serum hemoglobin (increased most in MaSoTFPP group), iron, and zinc levels
- Hemoglobin increased by 308%, iron by 264%, and zinc by 58% in the MaSoTFPP group
- The study supports use of locally available foods in community-based management of acute malnutrition
- Dietary intake was monitored throughout the 90-day feeding trial
Limitations
The study involved only 40 children over 90 days, which is a small sample size and relatively short duration. The document does not provide information about longer-term outcomes, cost-effectiveness, or acceptability of these foods among families.
Abstract
Malnutrition remains a significant challenge in low- and middle-income countries, contributing to stunting, wasting, and micronutrient deficiencies. This study investigated the effect of locally formulated complementary foods on anthropometric parameters and micronutrient status in children aged 6 to 23 months. A randomized controlled trial involving 40 infants explored the effects of experimental diets, including Maize-Soybean, Maize-Soybean-Termite flour, Maize-Soybean-Fishbone powder, and Maize-Soybean-Termite-Fishbone-Pawpaw-Pumpkin (MaSoTFPP), and a control diet on children over a period of 90 days. Anthropometric measurements of weight, height, and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) as well as biochemical analyses of blood samples were carried out. Dietary intake was monitored over the 90-day feeding trial period. The data obtained were analyzed using Statistical Product for Service Solution, version 23. Significance was set at P<0.05. The findings revealed significant improvements in the anthropometric parameters, particularly in the MaSoTFPP group, which exhibited the largest percentage increase in height and MUAC. The children fed with the experimental diets demonstrated enhanced serum hemoglobin, iron, and zinc levels, which increased most significantly in the MaSoTFPP group (by 308%, 264%, and 58%, respectively). The study underscores the potential of incorporating locally available food crops in community-based management of acute malnutrition and supports the World Health Organization's recognition of fortified staple foods in improving child growth and development.