Effect of Nutritional Supplementation on Growth in Short and Lean Prepubertal Children after 1 Year of Intervention

Objective To determine the 1-year effectiveness and safety of nutritional supplementation with the study formula on linear growth and weight gain in short and lean prepubertal children and to validate the previously reported findings in those initially treated with placebo. Study design Two-phase 1-year intervention (double-blind placebo-controlled [0-6 months] and open-labeled extension [6-12 months]) in which all participants were offered to continue the study using the study formula. Anthropometric measures and 3-day food diary were assessed at baseline and after 6 and 12 months of intervention. Results A total of 129 out of 150 children (86%) completed the open-labeled extension-phase. In “good” consumers of the formula (intake ≥50% of recommended dose) throughout the entire year height-SDS continued to improve in the extension phase, with a total gain of 0.19 ± 0.14 SD. In “good” consumers of the formula initially randomized to the placebo-group, the gain in height-SDS significantly improved (from 0.04 ± 0.13 to 0.12 ± 0.11; P = .001), replicating the results of the “good” consumers of the formula during the blinded-phase (0.12 ± 0.12). “Poor” consumers (intake <50% of recommended dose) did not improve their height-SDS. No significant changes in body mass index SDS were observed with the consumption of the formula. A dose-response was found between the amount of formula consumed/kg and the increment in height-SDS and weight-SDS (r = 0.36; P < .001 and r = 0.18; P = .041, respectively). No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusions One year of a nutritional supplement was effective in promoting the linear growth of short and lean prepubertal children, with no change in body mass index status. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01158352.