Lipid-based supplement found to benefit psychomotor development in children

18 Jan 2019 --- A recent study has found that a new lipid-based nutrient supplement may positively impact the development of older infants. The study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is the joint effort of DSM, the North West University of South Africa, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and Unilever. The findings revealed that children who consumed the supplement showed enhanced growth and psychomotor development, as well as high iron levels.

Carried out in an underprivileged community in South Africa, the so-calledTswaka study saw researchers examine the effects of two lipid-based complementary food supplements, jointly developed by DSM and Unilever, on older infants’ growth, iron status and psychomotor performance. The researchers sought to understand how nutritional interventions like this one may prove beneficial to children’s development.

“The product used in the study is a small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplement, a nutrient-dense lipid-based paste, designed as a complementary food supplement for infants older than six months. The product can easily be added to and mixed into homemade foods,” Nicolle Goetz, Product and Technology Development Manager DSM, tells NutritionInsight.

“The positive effects on psychomotor development of the children were higher than expected in the setting of the study, which took place in a very poor community with a population at high risk of stunting,” Dr. Maaike Bruins, Senior Nutrition Scientist for DSM, tells NutritionInsight.

A total of 750 children, aged 6-12 months, from the Jouberton community in South Africa, took part in the randomized controlled trial. One of two different, small quantity, complimentary food supplements providing a rich source of essential lipids, protein, vitamins and minerals was added to their daily diet over a six-month period.

According to the results, infants who received the supplements showed better iron status at 12 months of age in comparison to the control group. Those taking the supplement containing, among others, long-chain omega 3 and 6 fatty acids also showed positive advancements in a number of important areas, such as linear growth at age eight and ten months and psychomotor development at 12 months of age, a key factor in later academic performance. Additionally, the children had an enhanced omega 3 fatty acid status, which is associated with healthy eye and brain development.

DSM is “fully aligned with the World Health Organization (WHO) which recommends mothers to exclusively breastfeed infants for the child's first six months. Thereafter, they should be given nutritious complementary foods and continue breastfeeding up to the age of two years or beyond,” notes Goetz.

“After the age of six months, children need nutritious food to complement continued breastfeeding. However, older infants living in poorer communities often lack essential nutrients in their diet, as their complementary foods are made of staples like maize meal; contributing to their compromised linear growth and psychomotor development,” explains lead author of the study, Professor Marius Smuts.

The first 1,000 days from conception to a child’s second birthday are marked by rapid body and brain development that require proper nutrition in order to achieve their full potential, says Anthony Hehir, Director of Nutrition Improvement at DSM.

“The positive results of this study are so encouraging. It will help build our understanding of how to apply nutrition interventions effectively during this critical period in their lives,” he adds.

The findings of the study will be the basis for the development of novel nutrient supplements for children for DSM.

“DSM has been addressing the issue of malnutrition for decades and this will enable us to complement our current portfolio of nutritional solutions that address malnutrition and ensure brighter futures for children,” Goetz says.

“This project is innovation at its best in terms of multi-sector partnership, research methodology and the approach used to address nutrient gaps among populations most at risk of stunting,” explains Dominic Schofield from the Global Alliance for Improve Nutrition (GAIN).

The two lipid-based complementary supplements developed by DSM and Unilever have been designed to be easily added to homemade foods to encourage acceptance and intake and received a positive response from caregivers and infants taking part in the study.

By Kristiana Lalou

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