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The role of zinc and iron-folic acid supplementation on early child temperament and eating behaviors in rural Nepal: a randomized controlled trial.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Surkan, PJ; Charles, MK; Katz, J; Siegel, EH; Khatry, SK; LeClerq, SC; Stoltzfus, RJ; Tielsch, JM
Published in: PLoS One
2015

UNLABELLED: Child eating behaviors play an important role in nutrient intake, ultimately affecting child growth and later outcomes in adulthood. The study assessed the effects of iron-folic acid and zinc supplementation on child temperament and child eating behaviors in rural Nepal. Children (N = 569) aged 4-17 months in Sarlahi district, southern Nepal were randomized to receive daily supplements of placebo, iron-folic acid, zinc, or zinc plus iron-folic acid and followed for approximately 1 year. At baseline and four follow-up visits mothers completed questionnaires including information on demographic characteristics and child temperament and eating behaviors. The main effects of zinc and iron-folic acid supplementation on temperament and eating behaviors were assessed through crude and adjusted differences in mean cumulative score changes between visits 1 and 5. The adjusted rate-of-change for these outcomes was modeled using generalized estimating equations. Mean changes in temperament scores and in eating behavior scores between visits 1 and 5 were not significant in either the zinc or non-zinc group. Children in the iron-folic acid group increased temperament scores by 0.37 points over 5 visits (95% CI 0.02, 0.7), which was not significant after adjustment. Neither the adjusted rate-of-change in temperament scores between zinc and non-zinc (β = -0.03, 95% CI -0.3, 0.2) or iron-folic acid and non-iron-folic acid (β = 0.08, 95% CI -0.2, 0.3) were significantly different. Adjusted rate of change analysis showed no significant difference between zinc and non-zinc (β = -0.14, 95% CI -0.3, 0.04) or between iron and non-iron eating behavior scores (β = -0.11, 95% CI -0.3, 0.1). Only among children with iron-deficiency anemia at baseline was there a significant decrease in eating behavior score, indicating better eating behaviors, when supplemented with zinc (β = -0.3, 95% CI -0.6, -0.01), Ultimately, this effect of zinc on eating behaviors was the only effect we observed after approximately one year of micronutrient supplementation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00109551.

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Published In

PLoS One

DOI

EISSN

1932-6203

Publication Date

2015

Volume

10

Issue

3

Start / End Page

e0114266

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Zinc
  • Temperament
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Rural Population
  • Public Health Surveillance
  • Nepal
  • Male
  • Iron
  • Infant
  • Humans
 

Citation

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ICMJE
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Surkan, P. J., Charles, M. K., Katz, J., Siegel, E. H., Khatry, S. K., LeClerq, S. C., … Tielsch, J. M. (2015). The role of zinc and iron-folic acid supplementation on early child temperament and eating behaviors in rural Nepal: a randomized controlled trial. PLoS One, 10(3), e0114266. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0114266
Surkan, Pamela J., Mary Katherine Charles, Joanne Katz, Emily H. Siegel, Subarna K. Khatry, Steven C. LeClerq, Rebecca J. Stoltzfus, and James M. Tielsch. “The role of zinc and iron-folic acid supplementation on early child temperament and eating behaviors in rural Nepal: a randomized controlled trial.PLoS One 10, no. 3 (2015): e0114266. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0114266.
Surkan PJ, Charles MK, Katz J, Siegel EH, Khatry SK, LeClerq SC, et al. The role of zinc and iron-folic acid supplementation on early child temperament and eating behaviors in rural Nepal: a randomized controlled trial. PLoS One. 2015;10(3):e0114266.
Surkan, Pamela J., et al. “The role of zinc and iron-folic acid supplementation on early child temperament and eating behaviors in rural Nepal: a randomized controlled trial.PLoS One, vol. 10, no. 3, 2015, p. e0114266. Pubmed, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0114266.
Surkan PJ, Charles MK, Katz J, Siegel EH, Khatry SK, LeClerq SC, Stoltzfus RJ, Tielsch JM. The role of zinc and iron-folic acid supplementation on early child temperament and eating behaviors in rural Nepal: a randomized controlled trial. PLoS One. 2015;10(3):e0114266.

Published In

PLoS One

DOI

EISSN

1932-6203

Publication Date

2015

Volume

10

Issue

3

Start / End Page

e0114266

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Zinc
  • Temperament
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Rural Population
  • Public Health Surveillance
  • Nepal
  • Male
  • Iron
  • Infant
  • Humans