Effect of providing a micronutrient-fortified corn/soy atole or milk powder on linear growth in young Guatemalan children (828.6)

A community-based feeding study was undertaken in Retalhuleu among 939 malnourished 6-72 mo old children (HAZ <-1). Children resided in 18 villages in an impoverished region of southwest Guatemala. Children were randomly assigned to two groups to compare effects of two nutritional interventions on growth and micronutrient status. Group A (n=667) children received 18.75 g of Chispuditos®, a corn/soy atole fortified with 21 vitamins and minerals (delivering 12.5 mg of iron and 9 mg of zinc per day). Group B (n=272) children received an equivalent portion by weight of lactose free milk (diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous). At the conclusion of 12 mo, the average HAZ score of Group A children increased 12.0% from -2.76 to -2.43 (p<.01) and by 7.3%, from -2.87 to -2.66 (p<0.01) in Group B. Children from both dietary groups exhibited improvements in linear growth, with Group A having a greater increase in HAZ than Group B (p=0.01). Formative research conducted with the micronutrient-fortified corn/soy ato...