"Functional food" for acceleration of growth in short children born small for gestational age.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of nutritional supplementation on growth in short children born small for gestational age (SGA).


METHODS
Fifty four short but otherwise healthy children (26 boys), 6.4 +/- 1.8 years of age, were referred for growth retardation.


METHODS
Following a 6 month observation period the participants were randomly allocated to receive growth hormone therapy (GH) 1.26 IU/kg/day (0.042 mg/kg/day) or nutritional program (NUT) or passive observation (OBS). Patients in the nutritional program received 10 mg/day iron, 11 mg zinc-three times a week and 10000 IU/week of vitamin A. The following parameters were obtained 3 monthly: height, weight, dietary intake and serum IGF-1.


RESULTS
Six months of nutritional supplement induced growth acceleration somewhat lower than that seen in the growth hormone treated children, but significantly greater than noted in the observation group (OBS 4.6 +/- 1.3, NUT 7.9 +/- 1.7, GH 9.1 +/- 1.8 cm/yr, P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Six months of vitamin A, iron and zinc supplementation induces growth acceleration in short children born SGA with subnormal nutrients intake similar to growth hormone therapy.
Zadik
Z
Z
The School of Nutritional Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. zvizadik@gmail.com
Sinai
T
T
Zung
A
A
Golander
A
A
Reifen
R
R
D002648:Child; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D055951:Functional Food; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000188:drug therapy; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D058085:Iron Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D058085:Iron Compounds; D017967:Zinc Compounds; D014801:Vitamin A; D019382:Human Growth Hormone