Long-term nutritional interventions improve some physical development parameters in children

1. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, there was a significant improvement in weight-for-height and weight-for-age z scores in children who received nutritional interventions for ≥6 months compared to controls.

2. However, there were no improvements in body mass index (BMI)-for-age or height-for-age z scores in children who received nutritional interventions or in weight-for-height and weight-for-age z scores in children who received the intervention for <6 months.

Evidence Rating Level: 1 (Excellent)

It is well known that diet and physical development in children are tightly linked. Dietary interventions are often recommended for improving nutrition status in children. However, the role of these interventions in improving growth and development outcomes in children is poorly understood. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the evidence regarding the impact of dietary interventions on physical development in children.

Of 429 identified records, 8 studies (n= 6,645 children) were included from five databases between January 2007 and December 2022. Randomized controlled trials with participants <8 years old that compared an intervention group that received nutritional guidance or supplementation to a control group, and evaluated outcomes including body mass index (BMI)-for age z score, relative weight-for-height z score, height-for-age z score, and weight-for-age z score were included. Studies that included participants with other underlying diseases were excluded. The study was conducted according to PRSIMA guidelines. The primary outcomes were BMI-for-age, weight-for-height, height-for-age, and weight-for age z scores.

The results demonstrated that when a nutritional intervention was implemented for ≥6 months, there was a significant improvement in weight-for-height and weight-for-age z scores compared to controls. However, there were no improvements in BMI-for-age or height-for-age z scores for any length of intervention or in weight-for-height and weight-for-age z scores in children who received the intervention for <6 months. Despite these findings, the review was limited by the fact that only 2 studies used dietary interventions lasting >6 months, which may have influenced the results. Nonetheless, the study demonstrated that long-term nutritional interventions may positively impact some growth parameters in young children.

Click to read the study in Translational Pediatrics

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