A summary index of infant and child feeding practices is associated with child growth in urban Shanghai

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Recently, an infant and child feeding index (ICFI) constructed on brief recalls of breastfeeding, feeding frequency and food diversification was assumed to provide long-term prediction about child feeding practices. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the cross-sectional ICFI (CS-ICFI) or longitudinal ICFI (L-ICFI) and child anthropometric indices in downtown Shanghai, China. METHODS: The prospective cohort study included 180 infants aged 5-7 mo with their main caregivers who were visited 3 times every 6 months over 12 months. A CS-ICFI was constructed for each visit by using data on feeding practices based on 24-h and 7-d recalls. An L-ICFI was constructed with use of the 3 CS-ICFIs. The associations between ICFI and length-for-age z score (LAZ), weight-for-age z score (WAZ), and weight-for-length z score (WLZ) were examined. The stability of the CS-ICFI was assessed by using repeatability coefficient (RC). RESULTS: The L-ICFI was positively associated with LAZ and WAZ at Visit 3 (beta=0.151, P=0.040 and beta=0.173, P=0.024, respectively). Moreover, the CS-ICFI at Visit 1 was positively associated with LAZ, WAZ and WLZ (beta=0.160, P=0.029; beta=0.191, P=0.009; beta=0.176, P=0.020) at Visit 3, and the CS-ICFI at Visit 3 was also positively associated with LAZ (beta=0.176, P=0.016). Stability of the CS-ICFI was shown by the value of 0.14 (95% CI: 0.07, 0.31) of the RC, which differed significantly from 0 (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The ICFI constructed on brief recalls based on cross-sectional studies can be used to evaluate the effects of child feeding practice on child growth.     

Wasting is associated with stunting in early childhood

The longitudinal relationship between stunting and wasting in children is poorly characterized. Instances of wasting or poor weight gain may precede linear growth retardation. We analyzed longitudinal anthropometric data for 1599 children from 8 cohort studies to determine the effect of wasting [weight-for-length Z-score (WLZ) < -2] and variability in WLZ in the first 17 mo on length-for-age Z-score (LAZ) at 18-24 mo of age. In addition, we considered the effects of change in WLZ during the previous 6-mo period on length at 18 and 24 mo. Wasting at 6-11 or 12-17 mo was associated with decreased LAZ; however, children who experienced wasting only at 0-5 mo did not suffer any long-term growth deficits compared with children with no wasting during any period. Children with greater WLZ variability (≥0.5 SD) in the first 17 mo of life were shorter [LAZ = -0.51 SD (95% CI: -0.67, -0.36 SD)] at 18-24 mo of age than children with WLZ variability <0.5. Change in WLZ in the previous 6-mo period was directly associated with greater attained length at 18 mo [0.33 cm (95% CI: 0.11, 0.54 cm)] and 24 mo [0.72 cm (95% CI: 0.52, 0.92 cm)]. Children with wasting, highly variable WLZ, or negative changes in WLZ are at a higher risk for linear growth retardation, although instances of wasting may not be the primary cause of stunting in developing countries.     

A six-month intervention with two different types of micronutrient-fortified complementary foods had distinct short- and long-term effects on linear and ponderal growth of vietnamese infants

Traditional complementary foods (CF) with a low nutrient density have been implicated in growth faltering, stunting, and other adverse outcomes in children. The efficacy of 2 types of locally produced, micronutrient-fortified CF to prevent stunting of infants living in rural Vietnam was evaluated. In a village-randomized controlled study, 426 infants, 5 mo of age, received for 6 mo a fortified CF, either as an instant flour (FF) or a food complement (FC) in village canteens, or traditional CF at home (C). After 6 mo of intervention, weight, length, length-for-age Z-score (LAZ) and weight-for-age Z-score were greater in the 2 intervention groups compared with the C group, with an estimated effect of +0.22 LAZ for the FF group and +0.21 LAZ for the FC group. At the last follow-up, 18 mo after the intervention, there was no significant difference in height-for-age Z-score (HAZ) between the groups, even though the HAZ in the FF group was 0.17 greater than that in the C group (P = 0.18). In contrast, the weight-for-height Z-score and BMI Z-score, indices of ponderal growth, were greater in the FF group (-0.49 and -0.26, respectively) than in the FC group (-0.73 and -0.49, respectively), with Z-scores in the C group intermediate and not significantly different from the others. This study shows that regular provision of locally produced CF fortified with micronutrients partly stopped growth faltering in Vietnamese infants, with differential effects on long-term length and ponderal growth. Providing only micronutrients instead of a complete array of nutrients might result in only short-term length growth benefits.     

Malnutrition in Infants Aged under 6 Months Attending Community Health Centres: A Cross Sectional Survey

A poor understanding of malnutrition burden is a common reason for not prioritizing the care of small and nutritionally at-risk infants aged under-six months (infants u6m). We aimed to estimate the anthropometric deficit prevalence in infants u6m attending health centres, using the Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF), and to assess the overlap of different individual indicators. We undertook a two-week survey of all infants u6m visiting 18 health centres in two zones of the Oromia region, Ethiopia. We measured weight, length, and MUAC (mid-upper arm circumference) and calculated weight-for-length (WLZ), length-for-age (LAZ), and weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ). Overall, 21.7% (95% CI: 19.2; 24.3) of infants u6m presented CIAF, and of these, 10.7% (95% CI: 8.93; 12.7) had multiple anthropometric deficits. Low MUAC overlapped with 47.5% (95% CI: 38.0; 57.3), 43.8% (95% CI: 34.9; 53.1), and 42.6% (95% CI: 36.3; 49.2) of the stunted, wasted, and CIAF prevalence, respectively. Underweight overlapped with 63.4% (95% CI: 53.6; 72.2), 52.7% (95% CI: 43.4; 61.7), and 59.6% (95% CI: 53.1; 65.9) of the stunted, wasted, and CIAF prevalence, respectively. Anthropometric deficits, single and multiple, are prevalent in infants attending health centres. WAZ overlaps more with other forms of anthropometric deficits than MUAC.     

河北五县婴儿不同时期体格发育状况分析

目的探讨和评价河北省五个县(香河、丰润、乐亭、满城和元氏)婴儿体格发育状况。方法本研究基于北京大学生育健康研究所于2006年5月至2009年4月在河北省五个县开展的"孕期营养项目",该项目将18 775例孕产妇随机分为三组,分别给予叶酸、铁和叶酸复合制剂以及复合微量营养素(含叶酸和铁)的干预,并于子代3、6、9、12月龄随访检查。本研究对男女婴儿不同时期的体重、身长和头围等进行描述分析,以世界卫生组织2006年儿童生长发育标准(以下简称"WHO标准")计算男女婴儿不同时期的Z评分以及低体重率、生长迟缓率、消瘦率、超重率和肥胖率。结果共17 605例婴儿纳入研究,其中男婴9 240例(52.5%),女婴8 365例(47.5%)。婴儿整体体格发育水平高于WHO标准,各项体格发育指标在出生到3月龄时期增速最快。男婴不同时期的体重、身长和头围高于女婴,但男婴不同时期的年龄别体重Z评分、年龄别身长Z评分、身长别体重Z评分和BMI Z评分均低于女婴,以上差异均有统计学意义。婴儿低体重率、生长迟缓率和消瘦率分别在0~1.8%,0.3%~1.8%,0.2%~1.6%的区间范围,且随月龄增加而降低(趋势检验P0.05);男婴低体重、生长迟缓和消瘦的发生风险高于女婴,差异有统计学意义;婴儿超重率和肥胖率分别在2.5%~7.7%,0.5%~1.3%的区间,并随月龄增加而增大(趋势检验P0.05),其中9到12月龄增速最快。超重率和肥胖率的性别差异不明显。结论河北省五个县的婴儿体格发育水平总体较好,女婴体格发育水平高于男婴,但须注意婴儿期超重率和肥胖率过快增长,必要时及时采取干预措施。     

Index for Measuring the Quality of Complementary Feeding Practices in Rural India

This community-based cross-sectional study was undertaken to develop a complementary feeding index (CFI) to assess the adequacy of complementary feeding (CF) practices and determine its association with growth of infants, aged 6–12 months, in rural Indian population. The study was conducted in six villages of Ghaziabad district, Uttar Pradesh, India. A structured interview schedule was used for eliciting information from 151 mothers of infants, aged 6–12 months, on CF practices. Data on CF practices were scored using the CFI developed. Measurements of weight and length were taken. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were done using the SPSS software (version 13). The results revealed that the CF practices were suboptimal in the sample. The mean±standard deviation (SD) CFI scores ranged from a low value of 7.09±3.21 in 6–8 months old infants to a comparatively-higher value of 9.69±2.94 in 9–12 months old infants. Using the CFI it could be identified that infants (n=151) had poor dietary diversity, with only 31% and 18% of the infants reportedly being fed the recommended number of food-groups during 6–8 and 9–12 months respectively. The food-frequency scores of the CFI showed that cereals and diluted animal milk were the major food-groups fed to the infants in this setting. Analysis of nutritional status revealed that 24.5% of the infants were stunted (length-for-age [LAZ] <-2SD), 25% were underweight (weight-for-age [WAZ] <-2SD), and 17% were wasted (weight-for-age [WLZ] <-2SD). Significant associations (p<0.05) were observed between the meal-frequency and the dietary diversity of the CFs of infants aged 6–8 months and 9–12 months and the WAZ and LAZ indices of their nutritional status. On multivariate analysis of factors affecting the LAZ, WAZ and WLZ scores, the CFI was significantly associated (p<0.05) with LAZ whereas maternal education and breastfeeding frequency were significantly (p<0.01) associated with WAZ and WLZ. Per-capita income, parity, and birth-order were the significant (p<0.05) determinants of the CFI. The CFI developed is an exploratory attempt to summarize and quantify the key CF practices into a composite index, which would reflect the CF practices holistically. This index can be used as an easy tool by programme planners for identifying, targeting, and monitoring the deficient CF practices and also advocating the importance of the CF at policy level.Key words: Community-based studies, Complementary feeding index, Complementary feeding practices, Cross-sectional studies, Infant nutritional status, India     

Use of lipid-based nutrient supplements by HIV-infected Malawian women during lactation has no effect on infant growth from 0 to 24 weeks

The Breastfeeding, Antiretrovirals, and Nutrition Study evaluated the effect of daily consumption of lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS) by 2121 lactating, HIV-infected mothers on the growth of their exclusively breast-fed, HIV-uninfected infants from 0 to 24 wk. The study had a 2 × 3 factorial design. Malawian mothers with CD4(+) ≥250 cells/mm(3), hemoglobin ≥70 g/L, and BMI ≥17 kg/m(2) were randomized within 36 h of delivery to receive either no LNS or 140 g/d of LNS to meet lactation energy and protein needs, and mother-infant pairs were assigned to maternal antiretroviral drugs (ARV), infant ARV, or no ARV. Sex-stratified, longitudinal, random effects models were used to estimate the effect of the 6 study arms on infant weight, length, and BMI. Logistic regression models were used to calculate the odds of growth faltering [decline in weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ) or length-for-age Z-score (LAZ) >0.67] using the control arm as the reference. Although some differences between study arms emerged with increasing infant age in boys, there were no consistent effects of the maternal supplement across the 3 growth outcomes in longitudinal models. At the ages where differences were observed, the effects on weight and BMI were quite small (≤200 g and ≤0.4 kg/m(2)) and unlikely to be of clinical importance. Overall, 21 and 34% of infants faltered in WAZ and LAZ, respectively. Maternal supplementation did not reduce the odds of infant weight or length faltering from 0 to 24 wk in any arm. These results indicate that blanket supplementation of HIV-infected lactating women may have little impact on infant growth.     

Randomized comparison of 3 types of micronutrient supplements for home fortification of complementary foods in Ghana: effects on growth and motor development

BACKGROUND: The low micronutrient content of complementary foods is associated with growth faltering in many populations. A potential low-cost solution is the home fortification of complementary foods with Sprinkles (SP) powder, crushable Nutritabs (NT) tablets, or energy-dense (108 kcal/d), fat-based Nutributter (NB). OBJECTIVE: The objective was to test the hypothesis that multiple micronutrients added to home-prepared complementary foods would increase growth and that the effect would be greatest in the presence of added energy from fat. DESIGN: We randomly assigned 313 Ghanaian infants to receive SP, NT, or NB containing 6, 16, and 19 vitamins and minerals, respectively, daily from 6 to 12 mo of age. We assessed anthropometric status at 6, 9, and 12 mo; micronutrient status at 6 and 12 mo; motor development at 12 mo; and morbidity weekly. Infants (n = 96) not randomly selected for the intervention (nonintervention; NI) were assessed at 12 mo. RESULTS: The groups did not differ significantly at baseline, except that the NB group had a higher proportion of boys and weighed slightly more. The dropout rate (15/313) was low. At 12 mo, after control for initial size, the NB group had a significantly greater weight-for-age z score (WAZ) (-0.49 +/- 0.54) and length-for-age z score (LAZ) (-0.20 +/- 0.54) than did the NT group (WAZ: -0.67 +/- 0.54; LAZ: -0.39 +/- 0.54) and the NT and SP groups combined (WAZ: -0.65 +/- 0.54; LAZ: -0.38 +/- 0.54); the difference with the NI group (WAZ: -0.74 +/- 1.1; LAZ: -0.40 +/- 1.0) was not significant. A lower percentage of the NI infants (25%) than of the intervention groups (SP: 39%; NT: 36%; NB: 49%) could walk independently by 12 mo. CONCLUSION: All 3 supplements had positive effects on motor milestone acquisition by 12 mo compared with no intervention, but only NB affected growth.     

Parental tobacco use is associated with increased risk of child malnutrition in Bangladesh

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the relation between parental tobacco use and malnutrition in children <5 y of age and compared expenditures on foods in households with and without tobacco use. METHODS: Tobacco use, child anthropometry, and other factors were examined in a stratified, multistage cluster sample of 77 678 households from the Bangladesh Nutrition Surveillance Project (2005-2006). Main outcome measurements were stunting, underweight, and wasting, and severe stunting, severe underweight, and severe wasting. Secondary outcomes included the proportion of household expenditures spent on food. RESULTS: The prevalence of parental tobacco use was 69.9%. Using the new World Health Organization child growth standards, prevalences of stunting, underweight, and wasting were 46.0%, 37.6%, and 12.3%, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounders, parental tobacco use was associated with an increased risk of stunting (odds ratio [OR] 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12-1.21, P < 0.0001), underweight (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.12-1.22, P < 0.0001), and wasting (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.03-1.17, P = 0.004), and severe stunting (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.10-1.23, P < 0.0001), severe underweight (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.13-1.30, P < 0.0001), and severe wasting (OR 1.14, 95% CI 0.98-1.32, P = 0.09). Households with tobacco use spent proportionately less per capita on food items and other necessities. CONCLUSIONS: In Bangladesh parental tobacco use may exacerbate child malnutrition and divert household funds away from food and other necessities. Further studies with a stronger analytic approach are needed. These results suggest that tobacco control should be part of public health strategies aimed at decreasing child malnutrition in developing countries.     

Association between Dietary Patterns during Pregnancy and Birth Size Measures in a Diverse Population in Southern US

Despite increased interest in promoting nutrition during pregnancy, the association between maternal dietary patterns and birth outcomes has been equivocal. We examined maternal dietary patterns during pregnancy as a determinant of offspring’s birth weight-for-length (WLZ), weight-for-age (WAZ), length-for-age (LAZ), and head circumference (HCZ) Z-scores in Southern United States (n = 1151). Maternal diet during pregnancy was assessed by seven dietary patterns. Multivariable linear regression models described the association of WLZ, WAZ, LAZ, and HCZ with diet patterns controlling for other maternal and child characteristics. In bivariate analyses, WAZ and HCZ were significantly lower for processed and processed-Southern compared to healthy dietary patterns, whereas LAZ was significantly higher for these patterns. In the multivariate models, mothers who consumed a healthy-processed dietary pattern had children with significantly higher HCZ compared to the ones who consumed a healthy dietary pattern (HCZ β: 0.36; p = 0.019). No other dietary pattern was significantly associated with any of the birth outcomes. Instead, the major outcome determinants were: African American race, pre-pregnancy BMI, and gestational weight gain. These findings justify further investigation about socio-environmental and genetic factors related to race and birth outcomes in this population.     

早产儿1839例的生长发育随访及其影响因素

目的 分析不同胎龄早产儿在不同时期宫外生长发育迟缓的情况及其影响因素,旨在探讨出更有针对性的营养干预措施,减少早产儿宫外生长发育迟缓的发生率.方法 使用便利抽样方法,共纳入2020年8月-2021年5月于佛山市妇幼保健院儿童营养门诊就诊的0～3岁的早产儿1839例.调查其喂养情况,并收集其体重、身长指标,统计生后体重低...     

西藏婴幼儿生长迟缓和低体重与海拔的关联——基于倾向性评分匹配分析

目的 西藏自治区(简称西藏)儿童生长发育状况整体不佳,其与中国和WHO的标准相比都有较大差距,本研究基于“西藏0～5岁儿童营养与健康调查”分析西藏婴幼儿生长迟缓和低体重发生率及其与海拔的关系。方法 采用分层、多阶段与规模大小成比例的抽样和整群抽样相结合的抽样方法,抽取0～3岁婴幼儿进行现场体格检查并对其监护人进行问卷调查,采用倾向性评分匹配的方法以均衡两个比较组之间的混杂因素。单因素logistic回归分析模型分析海拔与生长迟缓和低体重的关系。结果 西藏婴幼儿生长迟缓和低体重率分别为20.9%和8.7%。进行1∶1倾向性评分匹配后分别获得324对,共计648例匹配的样本,各混杂因素在比较组间达到均衡。匹配后,相对于居住较低海拔(<4 000 m)的婴幼儿,居住高海拔(≥4 000 m)的婴幼儿生长迟缓和低体重风险的OR(95%CI)值分别为2.31(1.74～3.10)和1.95(1.27～3.09)。无论男女、家庭收入水平、是否为低出生体重,高海拔都会增加生长迟缓风险,而对低体重的影响只在男性、家庭收入水平较高、出生体重正常和足月生产的婴幼儿中的差异有统计学意义(均有P<...     

Nutritional Status of Children below Five Years in Malaysia: Anthropometric Analyses from the Third National Health and Morbidity Survey III (NHMS, 2006)

The Third National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS III) was conducted in 2006 on a nationally representative sample of population in Malaysia. Over 21,000 children aged 0-17.9 years were measured for body weight and stature according to the protocol of the World Health Organization. This article describes the nutritional status of children aged 0-59.9 months. Mean z score for weightfor-age (WAZ), height-for-age (HAZ) and BMI-for-age were compared with the z-scores tables of the WHO standards. The overall prevalence of underweight and stunting of the children were 12.9% and 17.2% respectively. These levels included 2.4% severe underweight and 6.0% severe stunting. In terms of z scores, the age group of 0-5.9 months showed the best nutritional status with mean WAZ of -0.33 (95%CI: -0.52, 0.15) and -0.40 (-0.57, 0.24) for boys and girls respectively, while mean HAZ was 0.64 (0.38, 0.89) for boys and 0.76 (0.54, 0.98) for girls. Mean HAZ and WAZ status was least satisfactory after about 6 months, suggesting a faltering in growth rate at an age that coincides with dependence on complementary feeding. Prevalence of overweight based on BMI-for-age for the sexes combined was 6.4%, while that based on WAZ was 3.4%. The NHMS III results indicate that Malaysian children have better nutritional status compared to children under 5 years in neighbouring countries. In order to meet the targets set in the National Plan of Nutrition (2006-2015), more effective intervention programmes are needed to accelerate the reduction of underweight and stunting, and to arrest the rise of overweight in young children.     

Factors associated with stunting in infants aged 5-11 months in the Dodota-Sire District,rural Ethiopia

The contribution of various factors to malnutrition, particularly stunting, may differ among areas and communities. This cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the level of malnutrition and identify factors associated with the high level of stunting in breast-fed infants aged 5-11 mo living in Dodota-Sire District, Ethiopia. Infants (n = 305) and their mothers were examined physically, and anthropometric and demographic data were collected. The content of zinc, calcium and copper in breast milk was measured, and data collected on the type, frequency of consumption, and time of introduction of supplementary feeding. Overall, 36% were stunted, 41% underweight and 13% wasted. The highest prevalence of malnutrition was seen in infants aged 9-11 mo. Among mothers, 27% had chronic energy deficiency (body mass index, <18.5 kg/m(2)) and 20% were night blind, indicating that vitamin A deficiency was a serious problem. Infants fed >3 times/d, consuming >600 mL/d or consuming cow's milk in addition to cereals and/or legumes had markedly higher length-for-age Z-scores than their peers fed less frequently, consuming less food or not consuming cow's milk [differences: 0.39, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.04-0.74; 0.17, 95% CI: 0.02-0.32; 0.40, 95% CI: 0.07-0.72, respectively). Infants of mothers with low concentrations of zinc in their breast milk were more stunted. In conclusion, the quality and quantity of foods consumed by infants is insufficient to prevent stunting. Thus it is necessary to increase the nutrient supply to infants by increasing intake and nutrient concentration of breast milk and of supplementary foods they consume, and by providing supplements to infants where appropriate.     

Dietary intake and anthropometric status differ for anaemic and non-anaemic rural South African infants aged 6-12 months

The study was undertaken to determine anthropometric measurements, sociodemographic data, and dietary intake of 238 anaemic and 241 non-anaemic rural South African infants aged 6-12 months. Logistic regression with anaemia as a dependent variable showed an odds ratio (OR) of 1.89 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-3.52) for low birth-weight, 2.04 (CI 1.29-3.22) for maternal age 20 years or younger, 2.21 (CI 1.29-3.76) for consumption of tea, and 0.40 (CI 0.26-0.63) for formula feeding. The anaemic infants, aged 6- < 9 months, had a lower average weight gain per month than the non-anaemic infants (727 g vs 772 g; p = 0.040, analysis of variance). Logistic regression with underweight as a dependent variable showed an OR of 3.55 (CI 1.26-10.01) for anaemia, and with stunting as a dependent variable, the OR was 2.71 (CI 1.46-5.02). Low birth-weight, a young mother aged 20 years or younger, and consumption of tea were identified as risk factors for anaemia, while formula feeding was shown to have a protective effect. The anaemic infants were more likely to show growth faltering.     

Assessment of child feeding practices using a summary index: stability over time and association with child growth in urban Madagascar

BACKGROUND: Previous studies investigating the association between an infant and child feeding index (ICFI) and length-for-age were based on a cross-sectional design and on the assumption that data collected with brief recalls could provide information about more enduring processes. OBJECTIVES: The objectives were to test the stability of the individual ICFI values over time and to investigate how they relate to length-for-age z score (LAZ) and weight-for-length z score (WLZ) at the end of the study. DESIGN: This prospective cohort study included 363 children aged 6-17 mo who were visited 3 times over 6 mo. A cross-sectional ICFI (CS-ICFI) was constructed for each visit by using data on feeding practices and data from quantitative 24-h recalls. A longitudinal ICFI (L-ICFI) was constructed with use of the 3 CS-ICFIs. The stability of the CS-ICFI was assessed by using the variance of the repeatability coefficient (s(2)r). RESULTS: Stability of the CS-ICFI was shown by the value of 0.704 (95% CI: 0.625, 0.805) of the s(2)r, which differed significantly from 1 (P < 0.0001). There was no significant association between the CS-ICFIs and LAZ or WLZ at visit 3. In contrast, when moving from low to high L-ICFI, there was a highly significant 0.5 z score difference in mean LAZ at visit 3 (P = 0.0008). The L-ICFI was not associated with WLZ. CONCLUSIONS: The ICFI constructed by using data collected with brief recalls can provide information about feeding in the long term. However, the absence of association with LAZ suggests a lack of precision that can be reduced by using an ICFI based on repeated measurements.     

Prevalence and socio-demographic associations of undernutrition and obesity among preschool children in Cyprus

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of undernutrition and obesity in preschool children in Cyprus and identify possible associations. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Private and public nursery schools. SUBJECTS: A representative sample (n=1412) stratified by age, gender, district and area of residence. INTERVENTIONS: Weight (kg) and height (cm) were obtained and BMI (kg/m2) was calculated. Z scores for weight-for-age, height-for-age, and weight-for-height were calculated using the cutoffs from the CDC/WHO 1978 reference. Socio-demographic associations with nutritional status were examined in a logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of undernutrition (WHO definition, Z-scores <-2) was low. Specifically the prevalence of underweight was 2.3%, wasting 2.8%, and stunting 1.1%. Undernutrition was associated with a low birth weight (LBW); odds ratio (OR) for underweight 4.1 (95% CI: 1.4, 12.2), P=0.012, stunting 5.2 (95% CI: 1.1, 23.3), P=0.033, and wasting 4.2 (95% CI: 1.3, 14.3), P=0.021.The prevalence of obesity (IOTF definition) was higher than undernutrition, and increased with age: 1.3% in 2 y olds to 10.4% in 6 y olds. Overweight and obesity prevalence were higher in rural (16.1%) than urban children (12.8%; P=0.046). Obesity in preschool children was associated with paternal obesity, OR 3.24 (95% CI: 1.59, 6.61), P=0.001, and maternal obesity 3.91 (95% CI: 1.78, 8.59), P=0.001. A birth weight (BW)> or =4000 g was associated with obesity compared to a BW between 2501 and 3000 g, OR 7.63 (95% CI: 1.91, 30.52), P=0.004. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of undernutrition among preschool children in Cyprus was low but obesity prevalence was higher. Parental obesity and high BW were significantly associated with obesity while LBW was associated with undernutrition in preschool children.     

浙江省某市2002-2015年婴幼儿营养状况分析

目的 了解浙江省某市2002-2015年婴幼儿营养状况,分析有关影响因素。方法 利用该市电子医疗记录数据库,提取孕妇首次随访数据与婴幼儿体格检查数据。采用Z值评分对婴幼儿营养状况进行评价,应用Logistic回归探讨婴幼儿生长不良的影响因素。结果 在48 827名体检的婴幼儿中,低体重、生长迟缓、消瘦、超重、肥胖率分别为1.43%、1.31%、1.90%、2.62%、0.34%。不同性别间肥胖发生率的差别具有统计学意义（χ2=5.164,P=0.023）。婴幼儿超重、肥胖检出率呈逐年下降趋势,低体重率呈上升趋势。Logistic回归分析显示,母亲高文化程度是婴幼儿低体重、生长迟缓、消瘦的保护因素;孕前体重指数（body mass index,BMI）较高是婴幼儿超重（OR=1.063,95%CI:1.057~1.069,P<0.001）、肥胖（OR=1.074,95%CI:1.060~1.088,P<0.001）的危险因素;高危妊娠是婴幼儿低体重（OR=2.214,95%CI:1.928~2.542,P<0.001）、生长迟缓（OR=2.543,95%CI:2.193~2.949,P<0.001）、消瘦（OR=1.211,95%CI:1.062~1.380,P=0.004）的危险因素。结论 该地区婴幼儿生长发育情况总体良好,但仍面临营养不良与营养过剩的双重问题。母亲孕前BMI、文化程度及是否高危妊娠是儿童生长不良的影响因素。     

Impact of intestinal permeability, inflammation status and parasitic infections on infant growth faltering in rural Bangladesh

A longitudinal study of 298 rural Bangladeshi infants found evidence of growth faltering starting at 3 months of age. Anthropometric status declined substantially in the first 2 years of life, with weight-for-height (WHZ) falling from - 0.49 to - 1.75, weight-for-age (WAZ) from - 1.18 to - 2.87 and height-for-age (HAZ) from - 1.00 to - 1.88. Higher concentrations of the acute-phase protein alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and higher gut mucosal damage (as signified by raised lactulose:mannitol (L:M) ratios) were both associated with chronic malnutrition as indicated by poorer HAZ and WAZ scores (P = 0.011 and 0.005 for AGP and 0.039 and 0.019 for L:M ratio, respectively). Higher Hb levels were related to improved z-scores, while elevation of Giardia-specific IgM titre (GSIgM) was associated with poor WAZ and WHZ (P = 0.015 and 0.039, respectively). IgG did not show any significant association with z-scores and the L:M ratio did not correlate with any of the inflammation markers or Giardia infection. The prevalence of geohelminth infections was low (only 4 % in the total study period). However, the level of GSIgM indicated high endemicity of Giardia infection from early in life, although very few cysts were detected from stool samples. These findings suggest that rural Bangladeshi infants are being exposed to high levels of infection with concomitant gut damage and growth faltering.     

河南省0～2岁婴幼儿碘营养状况和喂养方式与生长发育的关系

目的 探讨0～2岁婴幼儿的喂养方式和碘营养状况对其生长发育的影响。方法 采用整群抽样的方法,在河南省的18个省辖市各随机抽取2个县,每个县调查100名0～2岁婴幼儿的尿碘水平、喂养方式、生长指标。利用WHO Anthro软件计算年龄别体重评分（weight for age Z score,WAZ）和年龄别身高评分（height for age Z score,HAZ）。分别采用单因素方差分析和多元线性回归探讨碘营养水平和喂养方式对婴幼儿身高和体重的影响。结果 不同碘营养水平之间,13～18月龄组婴幼儿WAZ差异有统计学意义（F = 2.494,P = 0.043）;不同喂养方式之间,13～18月龄组WAZ差异有显著性（F = 3.040,P = 0.049）,19～24月龄组HAZ差异有统计学意义（F = 3.428,P = 0.034）。在校正了父母亲身高和体重、母亲年龄和文化程度、家庭收入等变量后,多元线性回归分析结果显示:13～18月龄的婴幼儿尿碘水平在50 μg/L以下的婴幼儿体重显著低于尿碘水平在50 μg/L以上的婴幼儿,未发现碘营养水平和身长的相关关系有统计学意义;在13～18月龄组,人工喂养的婴儿比母乳喂养的婴儿体重偏低（t = - 2.381,P = 0.018）;但在19～24月龄组,人工喂养的婴儿比母乳喂养的婴儿身长偏高（t = 2.639,P = 0.009）。结论 碘营养水平对婴儿的生长发育有一定影响,应保持婴儿适宜的碘营养水平。母乳喂养和人工喂养的婴儿生长方式存在一定的差异,但都在正常范围之内。