Ja. Rivera et al., NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTATION DURING THE PRESCHOOL YEARS INFLUENCES BODY-SIZE AND COMPOSITION OF GUATEMALAN ADOLESCENTS, The Journal of nutrition, 125(4), 1995, pp. 1068-1077
Effects of supplementary feeding during early childhood on body size a
nd composition at adolescence are examined in a population with marked
growth failure in the first 3 y of life. The data came from a supplem
entation trial conducted in rural Guatemala from 1969 to 1977 and a 19
88-89 follow-up study of the same subjects at adolescence. Two pairs o
f villages participated in the trial. One village from each pair recei
ved a high protein-energy supplement (Atole), which significantly impr
oved dietary intakes, whereas the other village of the pair received a
low-energy, no-protein supplement (Fresco), which did not impact appr
eciably on dietary intakes. Children from Atole villages grew better d
uring the preschool period than children from Fresco villages. At adol
escence, subjects from Atole villages were taller, weighed more and ha
d greater fat-free masses than subjects from Fresco villages. Differen
ces in height at adolescence were slightly reduced in magnitude relati
ve to differences at 3 y of age. However, differences in weight were i
ncreased in adolescence relative to 3 y of age.