Nutritional supplementation, maternal education, and cognitive development of infants at risk of malnutrition

Maternal education influences families’ socioeconomic status. It is strongly associated with children’s cognitive development and a key predictor of other resources within the family that strongly predict children’s well-being: economic insecurity, family structure, and maternal depression. Most studies examine the effects of these variables in isolation at particular points in time, and very little research examines whether findings observed among children in the United States can be generalized to children of a similar age in other countries. We use latent class analysis and data from two nationally representative birth cohort studies that follow children from birth to age five to answer two questions: (1) How do children’s family circumstances evolve throughout early childhood? and (2) To what extent do these trajectories account for differences in children’s cognitive development? Cross-national analysis reveals a good deal of similarity between the United States and UK in patterns of family life during early childhood, and in the degree to which those patterns contribute to educational inequality.

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A longitudinal study of vocabulary size and composition in low risk preterm children

First Language ◽

10.1177/0142723717730484 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 38 (1) ◽

pp. 72-94 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Miguel Pérez-Pereira ◽

Raquel Cruz

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Study ◽

Cognitive Development ◽

Growth Curve ◽

Maternal Education ◽

Vocabulary Development ◽

Low Risk ◽

Regression Analyses ◽

Expressive Vocabulary ◽

Vocabulary Size ◽

Preterm Children

The vocabulary size and composition of one group of full-term and three groups of low risk preterm children with different gestational ages (GA) were longitudinally compared at 10, 22 and 30 months of age. Expressive vocabulary development was assessed through the CDI. Cognitive development was also assessed at 22 months (Batelle Developmental Inventory), and data concerning biological and environmental characteristics of the children were also obtained. Growth curve analyses indicated that there were no significant differences in vocabulary size or percentage of word categories among GA groups. Regression analyses showed that word production and cognitive scores measured at 22 months were the main predictors of total vocabulary and word categories at 30 months. Gender, maternal education and GA did not contribute in a significant way to the variance of use of the vocabulary categories or vocabulary size. Therefore, GA does not seem to affect vocabulary development and composition when biomedical complications associated to prematurity are excluded.

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Early Life Child Micronutrient Status, Maternal Reasoning, and a Nurturing Household Environment have Persistent Influences on Child Cognitive Development at Age 5 years: Results from MAL-ED

Journal of Nutrition ◽

10.1093/jn/nxz055 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 149 (8) ◽

pp. 1460-1469 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Benjamin J J McCormick ◽

Stephanie A Richard ◽

Laura E Caulfield ◽

Laura L Pendergast ◽

Jessica C Seidman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Development ◽

Early Life ◽

Maternal Education ◽

Burden Of Illness ◽

Household Wealth ◽

Cognitive Reasoning ◽

Micronutrient Status ◽

Multivariable Models ◽

Diet Intake ◽

Child Cognitive Development

ABSTRACT Background Child cognitive development is influenced by early-life insults and protective factors. To what extent these factors have a long-term legacy on child development and hence fulfillment of cognitive potential is unknown. Objective The aim of this study was to examine the relation between early-life factors (birth to 2 y) and cognitive development at 5 y. Methods Observational follow-up visits were made of children at 5 y, previously enrolled in the community-based MAL-ED longitudinal cohort. The burden of enteropathogens, prevalence of illness, complementary diet intake, micronutrient status, and household and maternal factors from birth to 2 y were extensively measured and their relation with the Wechsler Preschool Primary Scales of Intelligence at 5 y was examined through use of linear regression. Results Cognitive T-scores from 813 of 1198 (68%) children were examined and 5 variables had significant associations in multivariable models: mean child plasma transferrin receptor concentration (β: −1.81, 95% CI: −2.75, −0.86), number of years of maternal education (β: 0.27, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.45), maternal cognitive reasoning score (β: 0.09, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.15), household assets score (β: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.24, 1.04), and HOME child cleanliness factor (β: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.05, 1.15). In multivariable models, the mean rate of enteropathogen detections, burden of illness, and complementary food intakes between birth and 2 y were not significantly related to 5-y cognition. Conclusions A nurturing home context in terms of a healthy/clean environment and household wealth, provision of adequate micronutrients, maternal education, and cognitive reasoning have a strong and persistent influence on child cognitive development. Efforts addressing aspects of poverty around micronutrient status, nurturing caregiving, and enabling home environments are likely to have lasting positive impacts on child cognitive development.

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Nutritional supplementation and dietary advice in geriatric patients at risk of malnutrition

Clinical Nutrition ◽

10.1016/j.clnu.2006.12.002 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 216-224 ◽

Cited By ~ 54

Author(s):

Margareta Persson ◽

Åsa Hytter-Landahl ◽

Kerstin Brismar ◽

Tommy Cederholm

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Geriatric Patients ◽

Nutritional Supplementation ◽

Dietary Advice ◽

Patients At Risk

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Day Care for the Child Born Prematurely

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.91.1.189 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 91 (1) ◽

pp. 189-192

Author(s):

Ruth T. Gross

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Birth Weight ◽

Cognitive Development ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Premature Infants ◽

Day Care ◽

Development Program ◽

Early Interventions ◽

Day Care Centers ◽

Increased Risk

The Infant Health and Development Program (IHDP) has contributed to our knowledge of the role of high-quality, educational day care in the lives of children with special needs. The IHDP was a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of a comprehensive early intervention program in improving the health and developmental outcomes of low birth weight (LBW), premature infants. One component of this program was the provision of special day-care centers for the children receiving this intervention. The rationale for the IHDP was based, on the one hand, on documented need. Low birth weight children are known to be at risk for a variety of medical complications in the first year of life.1-3 Thereafter, the major area of risk is delayed cognitive development, which often leads to difficulties in learning and school achievement.4-6 An increased risk for behavior problems might exacerbate these school-related difficulties.7-9 The outcomes of LBW infants have been the subject of several recent reviews.2,10-12 On the other hand, there was some evidence of effectiveness of early interventions for LBW infants, although these tended to be reports of early outcomes at single sites.13,14 More compelling was the evidence of longer-range improvement in cognitive development resulting from comprehensive early interventions for disadvantaged children of normal birth weight14,15 Given the increasing survival of premature infants, including those of very low birth weight, it was considered important to test the efficacy of such an intervention for this at-risk population in a randomized trial. The models for the IHDP were two longitudinal comprehensive programs, Abecedarian and Project CARE,16 which combined home visits, parent support, and a comprehensive educational curriculum within special day-care centers.

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