No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.
A Novel Distribution Method To Provide Micronutrients At A Community Level Improves Linear Growth In Young Guatemalan Children
The FASEB Journal
Abstract
The objective of this study was to test a novel and low‐cost distribution method to provide a 21 micronutrient‐fortified beverage (Chispuditos ® ) to improve the nutritional status of children with a Length/Height‐for‐age Z‐score (HAZ) ≤−1, in rural southwest Guatemala. Community woman leaders from 9 villages were identified and trained to provide coached guidance on nutrition, caregiving, parenting and early learning opportunities. The distribution mechanism consisted of groups of ~30 mothers organized by the community leader that met on a monthly basis at a point of convenience. The woman leader guided discussion and practice of the topics mentioned above among the peer group. Duration of meetings was approximately 30 minutes, and mother‐child dyads received a 24‐day supply of Chispuditos and instructions on how to prepare. Participants provided 1 Guatamalan Quetzal ($0.13 USD) to cover the complete cost of the community leader service. A total of 290 children from 6–72 months of age completed 21 months of receiving the fortified atole. A cross‐sectional analysis showed a significant improvement in mean HAZ scores: from −2.34 (0.89SD) to −1.95 (1.09SD), (p<0.01) and a significant reduction in the prevalence of stunting (from 58.3% to 46.0%, p<0.001). In conclusion, this community‐based low‐cost distribution model along with the nutrition intervention appears to be effective in improving linear growth in stunted children from rural southwest Guatemala.
Support or Funding Information
The Mathile Institute for the Advancement of Human Nutrition
... This was followed by the distribution of chispuditos, a soy micronutrient supplement. 10,11 Further community input led to the implementation of a nutrition program to provide eggs to both mother and child for the first 1,000 days of life. However, in the absence of a formal structure for tracking stunting over time, it was impossible to gauge the effectiveness of these longitudinally. ...
BACKGROUND: Pediatric growth tracking has been identified as a top priority by international health agencies to assess the severity of malnutrition and stunting. However, remote low-resource settings often lack the necessary infrastructure for longitudinal analysis of growth for the purposes of early identification and immediate intervention of stunting.
METHODS: To address this gap, we developed a portable field unit (PFU) capable of identifying a child over the course of multiple visits, each time adding new anthropomorphic measurements. We conducted a preliminary field evaluation of the PFU by using the unit on two distinct visits to three schools in the area surrounding a medical clinic in rural San Jose, Honduras. The unit was used to assess children at each school as part of the community outreach.
RESULTS: Community outreaches to three schools were conducted by two distinct teams, where they used the device to assess 210 children. Of the 180 children registered during the first visit, 112 were re-identified and assessed on the subsequent visit. Twenty-four instances of moderate-to-severe malnutrition were identified and referred for further evaluation to the central clinic.
CONCLUSION: This initial assessment suggests that the PFU could be an effective means of identifying at-risk children
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.