Abstract
This study's purpose was to assess the relation of infant attention to hemoglobin (Hb) and general nutritional status as measured by weight‐for‐age (WAZ), length‐for‐age (LAZ), and head circumference (HCZ); z‐scores based on WHO standards. 82 infants from rural southern Ethiopia were given 6 toys to explore for 3 min at age 6 and 9 months. Measures of attention were total looking duration, mean look length, attention shifts, number of looks away, total duration of inattention, and mean length of inattention periods. Mean Hb levels were 11.66 and 11.61 g/dl at 6 and 9 months, range = 6.00‐15.40. At 9 months the 4 nutritional variables significantly predicted average length of looks to the toys (p =.016, R2 =.145). Hb (rp = .29, p =.01) and HCZ (rp = .23, p =.042) were the best single predictors. Attention shifts were also predicted by the nutritional variables (p =.037, R2 =.123) particularly Hb (rp =‐.23, p =.038) and HCZ (rp = ‐.24, p = .032). 6 month nutritional variables did not predict attention at 9 months. Better nourished infants may develop attentional control earlier than undernourished peers. (Supported by NIH Grant R21 TW06729, Office of Dietary Supplements & NSF Grant No. SES‐0552839).
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