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European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
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March 1998, Volume 52, Issue 3, Pages 213 – 222 |
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| Original Communication |
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High fat versus high carbohydrate nutritional supplementation: a one year trial in stunted rural Gambian children
JD Krähenbühl, Y Schutz & E Jéquier Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland |
| Keywords |
| stunting;
dietary fats;
dietary carbohydrates;
nutritional supplementation;
catch-up growth;
energy intake;
resting energy expenditure;
morbidity |
| Abstract |
Objective: The study tests the hypothesis that a low daily fat intake may induce a negative fat balance and impair catch-up growth in stunted children between 3 and 9 y of age. Design: Randomized case-control study. Setting: Three rural villages of the West Kiang District, The Gambia. Subjects: Three groups of 30 stunted but not wasted children (height for age z-score-2.0, weight for height z-score Intervention: Two groups were randomly assigned to be supplemented five days a week for one year with either a high fat (n=29) or a high carbohydrate biscuit (n=30) each containing approximately 1600 kJ. The third group was a non supplemented control group (n=29). Growth, nutritional status, dietary intake, resting energy expenditure and morbidity were compared. Results: Neither the high fat nor the high carbohydrate supplement had an effect on weight or height gain. The high fat supplement did slightly increase adipose tissue mass. There was no effect of supplementation on resting energy expenditure or morbidity. In addition, the annual growth rate was not associated with a morbidity score. Conclusions: Results show that neither a high fat nor a high carbohydrate supplement given during 12 months to stunted Gambian children induced catch-up growth. The authors suggest that an adverse effect of the environment on catch-up growth persists despite the nutritional interventions. Sponsorship: Nestlé Foundation for the Study of the Problems of Nutrition in the World, Lausanne, Switzerland. |
Received 3 July 1997; Accepted 9 November 1997
-2.0) 3-9 y of age were selected by anthropometric survey. Groups were matched for age, sex, village, degree of stunting and season.