INCAP Oriente longitudinal study: 40 years of history and legacy.
Our purpose in this article is to describe the objectives, design, overall coverage, and main domains of data collection of the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama Oriente Longitudinal Study and subsequent follow-up studies. This supplementary feeding trial targeted to pregnant and lactating women and children from birth to 7 y of age, conducted in 4 rural Guatemalan villages (1969-77) with a series of follow-up studies (1988-2007), is one of the richest sources of information on the effects of nutrition, growth, development, and human capital in the developing world, with outstanding data from gestation to adult age and 40 y of follow-up. Its results have influenced nutrition knowledge and policy with over 300 scientific publications. We present brief descriptions of preliminary studies that were critical for the success of the trial and the design and methods used during the trial and in the follow-up studies, in chronological order.
Ramirez-Zea
Manuel
M
Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama, Guatemala City Zona 11, Guatemala. mramirez@incap.ops-oms.org
Melgar
Paul
P
Rivera
Juan A
JA
D000047:Academies and Institutes / Q000266:history; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000266:history* / Q000379:methods; D002489:Central America; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet / Q000266:history; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000266:history*; D005260:Female; D006166:Guatemala; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007774:Lactation; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D044623:Nutrition Therapy / Q000266:history*; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000266:history*; D011247:Pregnancy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000266:history*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult