Does the consumption of amylase-containing gruels impact on the energy intake and growth of Congolese infants?

Public Health Nutrition

M Moursi¹  S Trèche¹  F Mbemba¹ 

关键词: Amylases;    Energy density;    Complementary feeding;    Breast-feeding;    Energy intake;    Infant growth;   

DOI  :  10.1079/PHN2002428

学科分类：卫生学

来源: Cambridge University Press

【 摘 要 】

Objective:To assess the effect of the incorporation of amylase in maize-based flours prepared as gruels on the energy intake and growth of Congolese infants.Design:A randomised controlled trial. At 18 weeks of age, infants were randomised into either an intervention group, where they were provided with a maize/soya-based flour that contained amylase, or a control group, where they were provided with a similar flour that did not contain amylase.Setting:Urban borough of Poto-Poto in Brazzaville, The Congo.Subjects:Eighty infants (40 in each group) were randomised into intervention and control groups. Three infants in the intervention group and two controls subsequently dropped out.Results:At 24 weeks, the addition of amylase resulted in a significant increase in energy intake (in kJ kg-1 day-1) from gruels (P=0.02) without affecting breast milk consumption. In contrast, total energy intake (in kJ kg-1 day-1) did not differ significantly between groups (P=0.08). After adjustment for morbidity and previous growth, infants in the intervention group showed better growth in length during the trial (+0.22 cm month-1; P=0.04), especially between 24 and 31 weeks of age (+0.51 cm month-1; P>0.01). There were no differences in weight velocity between groups.Conclusions:The findings of this study suggest that the consumption of amylase-treated gruels allows an increase in energy intake from these gruels without affecting breast milk consumption but has no impact on total daily energy intake. However, if started after 6 months, it could be effective in preventing faltering of infant linear growth.

【 授权许可】

Unknown