IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jchals/v14y2023i2p29-d1165269.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Fish Consumption Improved Head Circumference and Mid-Upper Arm Circumference among Infants in Zambia: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Author

Listed:
  • Given Chipili

    (Department of Nutritional Sciences, Mukuba University, Itimpi, Off Chingola Road, P.O. Box 20382, Kitwe 50100, Zambia
    Division of Human Nutrition, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, P.O. Box 19063, Tygerberg, Stellenbosch 7505, South Africa)

  • Averalda Van Graan

    (Division of Human Nutrition, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, P.O. Box 19063, Tygerberg, Stellenbosch 7505, South Africa
    South African Food Data System (SAFOODS), Biostatistics Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Francie van Zijl Drive Parow Valley, P.O. Box 19070, Tygerberg, Cape Town 7505, South Africa)

  • Carl J. Lombard

    (Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, P.O. Box 19063, Tygerberg, Stellenbosch 7505, South Africa
    Biostatistics Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Francie van Zijl Drive Parow Valley, P.O. Box 19070, Tygerberg, Cape Town 7505, South Africa)

  • Evette Van Niekerk

    (Division of Human Nutrition, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, P.O. Box 19063, Tygerberg, Stellenbosch 7505, South Africa)

Abstract

Fish is a good source of Animal Source Proteins (ASP). Families from low-income countries with limited access to other animal source proteins can utilize it to improve the nutrition status of infants and young children. The objective of the study was to assess if fish fed during the early complementary feeding period had an effect on improved head circumference (HC) and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) among infants aged 6–7 months. A randomised controlled trial was conducted from April 2019 to January 2020 in the Samfya district, Luapula Province, Zambia. The infants (238) were randomised to either the fish group (intervention) or the sorghum group (control). Every week for a period of 6 months, infants received seven sachets of fish powder and sorghum powder, respectively. Compliance was also monitored during the fish powder distribution. The head circumference measurements were conducted at baseline and once each follow-up month for a period of six months while the MUAC measurements were conducted twice (at baseline and endline). Using statistical software for data science (STATA) (version 16), a linear mixed effect model was used to analyse the data. The results showed that fish improved head circumference for age z score (HCZ) by 0.53 (95% CI: 0.23–0.82), p -value < 0.001, and MUAC by 0.36 (95% CI: 0.13–0.59) p -value < 0.002. Therefore, fish can be used as the main source of protein in complementary foods for infants and young children in low-income communities with limited access to meat.

Suggested Citation

  • Given Chipili & Averalda Van Graan & Carl J. Lombard & Evette Van Niekerk, 2023. "Fish Consumption Improved Head Circumference and Mid-Upper Arm Circumference among Infants in Zambia: A Randomised Controlled Trial," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-10, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jchals:v:14:y:2023:i:2:p:29-:d:1165269
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/14/2/29/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/14/2/29/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jchals:v:14:y:2023:i:2:p:29-:d:1165269. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.