title: Effects of exclusive breastfeeding intervention on child growth and body composition: the MINIMat trial, Bangladesh.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for 6 months is recommended for optimal infant health, but the evidence for longer-term impacts is weak. We examined whether randomization to receive EBF counselling (BFC) in rural Bangladeshi women had an impact on childhood growth trajectories and body composition.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the Maternal and Infant Nutrition Interventions in Matlab trial, 4436 pregnant women were randomized to six equally sized, food and micronutrient groups. Of these, 3214 were randomized during the last trimester of pregnancy to receive either BFC or the usual/standard health message (UHM). Their infants were extensively followed up, with anthropometric measurements between 0 and 54 months and assessment of body composition at 54 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean duration of EBF in the BFC group was 111 days compared to 76 days in the UHM group (mean difference: 35.0 days, 95% CI 30.6-39.5, p < 0.001). There was no difference in growth trajectories between the BFC and UHM groups and no difference in body composition at 54 months. Children exposed to prenatal multiple micronutrients (vs 60 mg iron and folate) combined with BFC (vs UHM), however, had slower linear growth (mean difference -0.17 SD score, p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exclusive breastfeeding counselling resulted in neither differential growth trajectories in infancy and childhood, nor body composition differences at 54 months. The combination of prenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) and BFC was unfavourable for linear growth during 0-54 months, which raises questions about possible negative effects of MMS.
authors: International Maternal and Child Health, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. ashrafk@icddrb.org
authors: Ashraful I
authors: AI
authors: Khan
authors: Sophie
authors: S
authors: Hawkesworth
authors: Eva-Charlotte
authors: EC
authors: Ekström
authors: Shams
authors: S
authors: Arifeen
authors: Sophie E
authors: SE
authors: Moore
authors: Edward A
authors: EA
authors: Frongillo
authors: Md
authors: M
authors: Yunus
authors: Lars Å
authors: LÅ
authors: Persson
authors: Iqbal
authors: I
authors: Kabir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001459:Bangladesh; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods; D003906:Developing Countries; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011247:Pregnancy; D012424:Rural Population; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018977:Micronutrients