Summary
This Cochrane systematic review (CD012174) by Stewart et al. (2019) synthesises evidence on the efficacy of fortified complementary foods in improving nutritional outcomes among infants and young children. It evaluates a range of fortification strategies applied to complementary foods introduced alongside breastfeeding, examining effects on growth and micronutrient status. As a Cochrane review, it applies rigorous methodological standards to assess trial quality and the certainty of evidence across included studies.
UK applicability
The review focuses primarily on low- and middle-income country contexts where complementary food fortification is a key public health intervention; direct applicability to the UK is limited, though findings may inform UK guidance on infant feeding in nutritionally vulnerable populations and support policy discussions on food fortification standards.
Key measures
Haemoglobin concentration (g/dL); serum ferritin; stunting and wasting prevalence; weight-for-age and height-for-age z-scores; micronutrient status (iron, zinc, vitamin A)
Outcomes reported
The review assessed the effects of fortified complementary foods on nutritional status, growth, and micronutrient outcomes in infants and young children. Outcomes likely included measures of anaemia, stunting, wasting, and micronutrient deficiency prevalence.
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