title: Infant responsiveness, alertness, haemoglobin and growth in rural Sidama, Ethiopia.
abstract: Several recent studies have supported relations between infant behaviour (alertness and responsiveness) and nutrition in addition to investigating infant behaviour within the context of changes in iron status over time. Existing research is typically limited to the investigation of the effects of a single vitamin or mineral, and no studies have been found that examined the influence that early alertness and responsiveness have on growth in early infancy, despite the fact that relations between behaviour and nutritional status may be bidirectional. The current study used a sample of Ethiopian infants and investigated anthropometrics, haemoglobin, the frequency of alertness and the frequency of responsiveness at 6 and 9 months of age. Six-month weight-for-age predicted 9-month frequency of alertness, while 6-month haemoglobin predicted 9-month frequency of responsiveness. Compared with responsive infants, non-responsive infants at 6 months remained more non-responsive at 9 months, although weight-for-age for both groups converged at 9 months. Results support relations between nutrition and behaviour (alertness and responsiveness) and provide evidence of a potentially useful tool (the Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery) that was adapted to evaluate these relations in Ethiopia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA Department of Nutritional Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA Institute of Nutrition, Food Science, and Technologies, Hawassa University, Awassa, Ethiopia Department of Human Development & Family Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado, USA.
authors.forename: Nicki L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Aubuchon-Endsley
authors.forename: Stephanie L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Tay S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Getenesh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Berhanu
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Stoecker
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hubbs-Tait
authors.forename: K Michael
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Hambidge
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002657:Child Development; D019049:Developed Countries; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000208:ethnology; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012423:Rural Health / Q000208:ethnology; D014851:Wakefulness; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000208:ethnology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006454:Hemoglobins