Abstract
ObjectivesHealthy physical growth has been associated with better performance on neurodevelopmental testing in young children in low resource settings. We examined the relationship of growth indicators from 6 to 24 months of age to the sub-scales of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-III (BSID-III) at 24 months in offspring of participants in the four-country preconception maternal nutrition trial, Women First (WF), which found the maternal intervention to benefit birth length, which was predictive of length and risk of stunting at 24 months. MethodsWith no post-delivery intervention, follow-up visits for anthropometry were obtained at 6-month intervals; BSID-III and Family Care Indicators (FCI) were completed at 24 months in a random sub-set of the WF offspring, representing 2/3 of infants with valid birth measurements. Multiple covariates (intervention arm, site, cluster within site, maternal education, age, SES, FCI subscales, LBW, and change in anthropometry Z-scores from 6 to 24 months, e.g., length-for-age, DLAZ6-24) were considered as confounders or predictors and were adjusted in a general linear model to predict adjusted mean differences (AMD) in BSID scores. Results1,386 infants (93% of those randomized to sub-set) were included in the analysis (n = 441,486, 459 for Arms 1, 2, 3, respectively). Four covariates were positively associated (p ≤ 0.01) with all 3 of the BSID subscales cognitive(C), motor(M), and social-emotional(SE) scales, respectively: maternal secondary education (+AMD 3.60(C), 3.35(M), 2.80(SE)); DLAZ6-24 (+AMD 1.98(C), 3.15(M), 2.06(SE)); BW > 2500 g (+AMD 1.64(C), 2.20(M), 2.31(SE)); and FCI play materials (+AMD 1.46(C), 1.36(M), 1.72(SE)). No other anthropometric or maternal variables were consistently associated with BSID subscales. ConclusionsThe findings underscore the multiple critical components of nurturing care for early child development, including the caregiver, adequate birth weight, healthy linear growth, and opportunities for learning. Results suggest that the positive effects of maternal nutrition supplementation in the WF trial on birth length and postnatal linear growth may, in turn, have enduring downstream benefits for their children’s neurodevelopment. Funding SourcesThe Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, NICHD, ODS.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.