Impact of a few monthly-delivered groceries on preterm or low-birth-weight infants' nutrition

Abstract

To both evaluate the nutritional impact of a high-nutritional- valued, monthly-delivered groceries, combined with educational talks addressed to families of premature and/or low birth weight infant (LBW), followed by Kangaroo Mother Care Program (KMCP) in Bogota and Cundinamarca; and identify the risk factors that predispose the onset of malnutrition. Observational, descriptive, and prospective study of a cohort of 392 children enrolled in 10 KMCP who present in their follow-up a nutritional risk or a malnutrition (Weight <-2 SD [Standard Deviation]); from families with incomes <2 current legal minimum wages and who receive a high-nutritional-valued, monthly-delivered groceries with educational talks after 3 months of corrected age. According to the health insurance system, there were no differences in nutritional outcomes. The monthly groceries delivery had no impact on nutrition but on adherence to KMCP. At 40 weeks, 19,2% had a weight of <-2SD, of which 20% had Intrauterine Growth Retardation. At 3 and 12 months of corrected age, 24,5% and 36,5% had a weight of <-2SD, the remaining were at malnutrition risk. Two risk factors were significant: the age of the mother and the level of malnutrition at admission. A longer follow-up with faster intervention in the KMCP is necessary, to recover and monitor these children at dietary risk or with confirmed malnutrition, aware of the future impact it may have on neurological and cognitive development.