title: Meat as complementary food for older breastfed infants and toddlers: a randomized, controlled trial in rural China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Because of its contribution to dietary diversity and to favorable intakes of micronutrients, including iron and zinc, meat is hypothesized to be a valuable complementary food for the infant and young child. However, the evidence base remains limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the difference in anthropometric measurements of rural Chinese infants and toddlers 6 to 18 months of age who received a daily supplement of meat or cereal for 12 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cluster-randomized, controlled study provided a daily supplement of either meat (n = 514, 20 clusters) or cereal (n = 957, 40 clusters) starting as a first complementary food at 6 months of age. Anthropometric measurements were assessed longitudinally.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 12 months of intervention, the meat group (δ13.01 ± 1.9 cm) had greater (p = .01) linear growth than the cereal group (δ12.75 ± 1.8 cm) and a smaller decrease in length-for-age z-score (LAZ) over time (-0.43 ± 0.72 in the meat group vs. -0.54 ± 0.67 in the cereal group), after adjustment for baseline length, LAZ, maternal education, work status, and maternal height and weight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Linear growth was modestly greater in the meat group than in the cereal group. LAZ was substantially negative at 6 months, and the intervention did not prevent ongoing decline over the course of the study.
authors: Minghua
authors: M
authors: Tang
authors: Xiao-Yang
authors: XY
authors: Sheng
authors: Nancy F
authors: NF
authors: Krebs
authors: K Michael
authors: KM
authors: Hambidge
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002681:China; D004032:Diet; D002523:Edible Grain; D004522:Educational Status; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D008460:Meat; D009035:Mothers; D012424:Rural Population
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