Evaluation of the impact on growth of a controlled 6-month feeding trial on children (6-24 months) fed a complementary feed of a high energy-low bulk gruel versus a high energy-high bulk gruel in addition to their habitual home diet.

Abstract

Twenty-one pairs of slum children (6-24 months) were pair-matched for age and weight. The experimental group consumed a complementary feed of a high energy (1.63 Kcal/ml), but low bulk wheat gruel providing a mean 199 Kcal/child/day v. the control group which consumed an identical (1.63 Kcal/ml), but high bulk gruel providing a mean 50 Kcal/child/day for a period of 180 days. The home diet (breastmilk+family diet) provided about 470 Kcal/child/day in both groups. A comparative evaluation of growth at commencement and end of study demonstrated that: 1. weight, height, and velocity of growth in weight were significantly better in the experimental group; 2. a comparison by nutritional classifications (Indian Academy of Pediatrics and Waterlow) showed a greater benefit to the experimental group; 3. the energy intake per kg body weight was 73 and 62 Kcal, respectively, in the experimental and control groups at end of study. It is concluded that the much higher intake of the amylase-rich food (ARF) treated gruel in the experimental group was responsible for the substantially better growth.