Evaluation of inflammation adjustment methods to assess iron deficiency using longitudinal data from norovirus human challenge trials.

Accounting for inflammation is necessary to assess iron deficiency using ferritin. A limitation of existing inflammation-adjustment methods is reliance on cross-sectional data to evaluate method performance. The study objective was to evaluate three inflammation-adjustment methods using longitudinal data from two controlled trials where apparently healthy adults (n = 52) were exposed to norovirus.

To stay or grow? Migration patterns and child growth in rural Bihar, India.

While the dominant patterns of migration for livelihood among the poor in India are rural-to-rural and circular, literature on the health implications of child migration has largely focused on rural-to-urban, permanent movement. We compared child growth across three migration typologies rural Bihar: circular migrant families that repeatedly migrate to rural destination sites with accompanying young children, rural households with male migrants, and rural households that do not engage in migration. We integrated network theory based on caste and tribe geography to inform our analytical approach.

Predictors of effective kangaroo mother care, exclusive breastfeeding, and skin-to-skin contact among low birthweight newborns in Amhara, Ethiopia.

Background: Globally, 20% of all newborns are born with low birth weight (LBW). There is, therefore, an urgent need to expedite the delivery of high-impact, evidenced-based, and low-cost interventions such as kangaroo mother care (KMC (defined as continuous skin-to-skin care) and exclusive breastfeeding for this vulnerable group.

Methods: A multinational World Health Organization (WHO)-supported consortium created and tested the impact of locally-specific and globally-informed phases of KMC care on KMC uptake/scale-up across multiple sites.

The Relationship of Preterm and Small for Gestational Age with Child Cognition During School-Age Years.

Background: Children born preterm and/or small for gestational age (SGA) are at increased risk of poor cognitive outcomes, particularly in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the cognitive and academic deficits during the school-age years in children born preterm or SGA compared with those in children born term adequate for gestational age (AGA) in rural Vietnam.

Methods: Children born to women in a preconception micronutrient supplementation trial in Vietnam were classified into 3 groups: preterm AGA (n =138), term SGA (n =169), and term AGA (n = 1134).

Unpacking Breastfeeding Disparities: Baby-Friendly Hospital Designation Associated with Reduced In-Hospital Exclusive Breastfeeding Disparity Attributed to Neighborhood Poverty.

Objectives: To examine US in-hospital exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and the associations with Baby-Friendly designation and neighborhood sociodemographic factors.

Methods: Hospital data from the 2018 Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care survey were linked to hospital zip code tabulation area (ZCTA) sociodemographic data from the 2014-2018 American Community Survey (n = 2,024). The percentages of residents in the hospital ZCTA were dichotomized based on the relative mean percentage of the hospital's metropolitan area, which were exposure variables (high/low Black hospitals, high/low poverty hospitals, high/low educational attainment hospitals) along with Baby-Friendly designation.

Growth patterns of preterm and small for gestational age children during the first 10 years of life.

Background: Preterm and small for gestational age (SGA) remain significant public health concerns worldwide. Yet limited evidence exists on their growth patterns during childhood from low-or middle-income countries.

Objectives: We investigated the postnatal growth patterns of preterm and SGA compared to term appropriate for gestational age (AGA) children from birth to 10-11y, and examined the impact of birth status on child nutritional status during the school age years.

The relationships between optimal infant feeding practices and child development and attained height at age 2 years and 6-7 years.

Limited evidence exists on the long-term effects of early feeding practices on child growth and development. We examined the relationships between infant feeding practices and child height and development at ages 2 and 6-7 years. We studied 885 mother-child dyads from a randomized controlled trial of preconception supplementation in Vietnam.

The Association Between Breastfeeding and Growth Among Infants with Moderately Low Birth Weight: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Objective: To assess the association between breastfeeding competency, as determined by Latch, Audible swallowing, Type of nipple, Comfort, and Hold (LATCH) and Preterm Infant Breastfeeding Behavior Scale (PIBBS) scores, and exclusive breastfeeding and growth among infants with low birth weight (LBW) in India, Malawi, and Tanzania.

Study Design: We conducted LATCH and PIBBS assessments among mother-infant dyads enrolled in the Low Birthweight Infant Feeding Exploration (LIFE) observational study of infants with moderately LBW (1500g-2499 g) in India, Malawi, and Tanzania. We analyzed feeding and growth patterns among this cohort.

Preconception Micronutrient Supplementation Affects Maternal BMI and Body Composition Postpartum: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Vietnam.

Background: Although there is growing evidence on the role of preconception nutrition for birth outcomes, limited evidence exists for its effects on maternal health.

Objectives: This study evaluates the impact of preconception micronutrient supplementation on maternal BMI (kg/m) and body composition at 6 to 7 y postpartum (PP).

Methods: We followed females who participated in a randomized controlled trial of preconception supplementation in Vietnam and delivered live offspring (n = 1599).

Facilitators, barriers, and key influencers of breastfeeding among low birthweight infants: a qualitative study in India, Malawi, and Tanzania.

Background: Low birthweight (LBW) infants are at increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Exclusive breastfeeding up to six months is recommended to help them thrive through infection prevention, growth improvements, and enhancements in neurodevelopment. However, limited data exist on the feeding experiences of LBW infants, their caregivers and key community influencers.

Hepatic Vitamin A Concentrations and Association with Infectious Causes of Child Death.

Objectives: To assess postmortem vitamin A (VA) concentrations in children under 5 years of age and evaluate the association between VA deficiency (VAD) and infectious causes of death (CoD).

Study Design: In this cross-sectional study from the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) Network, liver biopsies collected within 72 hours of death were analyzed from 405 stillbirths and children under 5 years in Kenya and South Africa. Total liver VA (TLVA) concentrations were quantified using ultra-performance liquid chromatography, and cutoffs of ≤0.

Factors Associated with In-Hospital Exclusive Breastfeeding Among a Racially and Ethnically Diverse Patient Population.

The aim of this study is to examine in-hospital exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and its association with sociodemographic factors, medical factors, breastfeeding intentions, and health care system breastfeeding support. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study using medical records from 2015 to 2019 of healthy term infants without breastfeeding contraindications at a public teaching hospital serving a racially and ethnically diverse patient population. Using multivariable regression analysis, we examined the associations between in-hospital EBF and sociodemographic factors, medical factors, breastfeeding intentions, and health care system breastfeeding support (in-hospital breastfeeding education and lactation support).

Access to food markets, household wealth and child nutrition in rural Cambodia: Findings from nationally representative data.

Access to informal fresh food markets plays a vital role in household food security and dietary quality in transitioning rural economies. However, it is not well understood if market access also improves child nutrition and if the improvement applies to all socioeconomic groups. In this secondary research study, we combined a national listing of food markets (n = 503) with a national household survey to examine the associations of market access with diet and height across wealth groups in children aged 6 to 23 months in rural Cambodia.

Association between maternal haemoglobin concentrations and maternal and neonatal outcomes: the prospective, observational, multinational, INTERBIO-21st fetal study.

Background: Anaemia in pregnancy is a global health problem with associated maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. We aimed to investigate the association between maternal haemoglobin concentrations during pregnancy and the risk of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Methods: In this prospective, observational, multinational, INTERBIO-21st fetal study conducted at maternity units in Brazil, Kenya, Pakistan, South Africa, and the UK, we enrolled pregnant women (aged ≥18 years, BMI <35 kg/m, natural conception, and singleton pregnancy) who initiated antenatal care before 14 weeks' gestation.

Opportunities and barriers for maternal nutrition behavior change: an in-depth qualitative analysis of pregnant women and their families in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Background: Maternal undernutrition during pregnancy remains a critical public health issue in India. While evidence-based interventions exist, poor program implementation and limited uptake of behavior change interventions make addressing undernutrition complex. To address this challenge, Alive & Thrive implemented interventions to strengthen interpersonal counseling, micronutrient supplement provision, and community mobilization through the government antenatal care (ANC) platform in Uttar Pradesh, India.

A dose-response relationship found between the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding indicators and in-hospital exclusive breastfeeding in US hospitals.

Background: In-hospital exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is associated with longer breastfeeding durations, yet only 64% of US newborns are EBF for 7 days. The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding (Ten Steps) are a set of evidenced-based maternity practices shown to improve breastfeeding outcomes; these were updated in 2018.

Methods: Using hospital-level data from the 2018 Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care Survey (n = 2045 hospitals), we examined the prevalence of implementation of Ten Steps indicators (each step and total number of steps implemented).

Temporal Dietary Diversity Patterns Are Associated with Linear Growth but Not Ponderal Growth in Young Children in Rural Vietnam.

Background: The first 2 y of life mark critical changes in children's diet from milk-based food to diverse food rich in taste and texture, but few studies in low-resource settings have explored the changes in diet quality during this period.

Objectives: We examine temporal dietary diversity patterns between 6 and 25 mo of age and their associations with child growth outcomes in rural Vietnam.

Methods: We used data from a prospective cohort (PRECONCEPT) and included 781 children that had dietary diversity data for 4 age windows: 6-8, 11-13, 17-19, and 23-25 mo of age.

Streamlining Micronutrient Biomarker Statistical Analysis in Populations: An Introduction to the SAMBA R Package.

Micronutrient deficiency is a common global health problem, and accurately assessing micronutrient biomarkers is crucial for planning and managing effective intervention programs. However, analyzing micronutrient data and applying appropriate cutoffs to define deficiencies can be challenging, particularly when considering the confounding effects of inflammation on certain micronutrient biomarkers. To address this challenge, we developed the Statistical Apparatus of Micronutrient Biomarker Analysis (SAMBA) R package, a new tool that increases ease and accessibility of population-based micronutrient biomarker analysis.

Maternal preconception BMI and gestational weight gain are associated with weight retention and maternal and child body fat at 6-7 years postpartum in the PRECONCEPT cohort.

Background: There is limited evidence from prospective cohorts in low-resource settings on the long-term impact of pre-pregnancy body mass index (PPBMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) on postpartum weight retention (PPWR) and maternal and child body composition.

Objectives: We examined the associations between PPBMI and timing of GWG on PPWR at 1, 2, and 6-7 years and maternal and child percent body fat at 6-7 years.

Methods: We used data from the PRECONCEPT study (NCT01665378) that included prospectively collected data on 864 mother-child pairs from preconception through 6-7 years postpartum.