RTI uses cookies to offer you the best experience online. By clicking “accept” on this website, you opt in and you agree to the use of cookies. If you would like to know more about how RTI uses cookies and how to manage them please view our Privacy Policy here. You can “opt out” or change your mind by visiting: http://optout.aboutads.info/. Click “accept” to agree.
Age-specific responsiveness of weight and length to nutritional supplementation
Lutter, C. K., Mora, J. O., Habicht, J. P., Rasmussen, K. M., Robson, D. S., & Herrera, M. G. (1990). Age-specific responsiveness of weight and length to nutritional supplementation. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 51(3), 359-364. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/51.3.359
Evaluation of the responsiveness of weight and length to supplementary feeding shows that the two periods of greatest response coincide with weaning (ages 3-6 mo) and peak incidence and duration of diarrheal disease (ages 9-12 mo). Analyses were done for seven consecutive nonoverlapping intervals comparing children randomly assigned to receive supplemental feeding from birth to age 36 mo or to serve as control subjects. Absolute responsiveness was greatest between ages 3-6 mo; supplemented infants grew 0.61 cm more and gained 162 g more than did unsupplemented infants (p less than 0.005). Relative to rates of growth, responsiveness was greatest between ages 9 and 12 mo (the period of peak diarrheal prevalence), followed by ages 3-6 mo (the period of weaning). Responsiveness to supplementation is thus directly related to age-dependent risk patterns for malnutrition. Targeting supplementation programs to coincide with periods of high nutritional risk should maximize their effectiveness in reducing malnutrition, though caution should be exercised to avoid disruption of breast-feeding.
RTI shares its evidence-based research - through peer-reviewed publications and media - to ensure that it is accessible for others to build on, in line with our mission and scientific standards.