Effects of an energy and micronutrient supplement on play behavior in undernourished children in Indonesia.
OBJECTIVE
This paper reports the effects of an energy and micronutrient supplementation on quantitative and qualitative aspects of play among poorly nourished children. At issue is whether the supplement led to a progression in complexity of play.


METHODS
Two cohorts of children were randomly assigned to three treatments: E = 1171 kJ + 12 mg iron; M = 12 mg iron + 209 kJ; S = 104 kJ. Supplementation was given for 6 months. Evaluations of play behavior were repeated four times.


METHODS
The sites were six tea plantations in Pangalengan, West Java.


METHODS
The present study utilized a subsample of 55 children recruited for the larger Pangalengan project 6 months into the study. Thirty-eight children were recruited late enough to allow for longitudinal observations. The remaining cases were used for cross sectional observations only. Inclusion criteria were: no chronic disease; length-for-age < or = -1 standard deviation (s.d.) and weight-for-length between -1 and -2 s.d. of the median of the reference of the World Health Organization.


METHODS
The children were videotaped during play. These tapes were coded for eight mutually exclusive categories of activities. Four activities coded represented manipulative, relational, functional and symbolic play.


RESULTS
Treatment did not affect qualitative play. Girls that received E increased functional play but boys showed the opposite effect. Children in the S group were breastfed more during play as compared to the E group. Children in the E group waited less to begin play.
Walka
H
H
University of California, Davis, USA.
Triana
N
N
Jahari
A B
AB
Husaini
M A
MA
Pollitt
E
E
D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development; D002657:Child Development; D003071:Cognition; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007214:Indonesia; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D010988:Play and Playthings; D012737:Sex Factors
D018977:Micronutrients