Sustained effects of small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements provided during the first 1000 days on child growth at 9–11 y in a randomized controlled trial in Ghana

Background: There is limited research on whether nutritional supplementation in the first 1000 d affects long-term child outcomes. We previously demonstrated that pre- and postnatal small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) increased birth weight and child length at 18 mo of age in Ghana. Objectives: We aimed to investigate the effect of pre- and postnatal SQ-LNS on child growth and blood pressure at 9–11 y. Methods: In the International Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (iLiNS)-DYAD-Ghana trial, 1320 females ≤20 weeks of gestation were randomly assigned to receive daily: iron and folic acid (IFA) during pregnancy and placebo during 6 mo postpartum or multiple micronutrients (MMNs) during pregnancy and 6 mo postpartum, or SQ-LNS during pregnancy and 6 mo postpartum and for their children aged from 6 to 18 mo. We re-enrolled 966 children aged 9–11 y and assessed child blood pressure, height-for-age z-score (HAZ), body mass index (BMI)-for-age z-score, waist-to-height ratio, triceps skinfold, and midupper arm circumference. We compared SQ-LNS with control (IFA + MMN) groups adjusting for child's age. Results: Mean (standard deviation [SD]) HAZ in SQ-LNS and control group was −0.04 (0.96) and −0.16 (0.99); P = 0.060. There were no indications of group differences in the other outcomes (P > 0.10). Effects on HAZ varied by child sex (P-interaction = 0.075) and maternal prepregnancy BMI (kg/m²; P-interaction = 0.007). Among females, HAZ was higher in the SQ-LNS [0.08 (1.04)] than in the control group [−0.16 (1.01)] (P = 0.010); among males, SQ-LNS [−0.16 (0.85)] and control groups [−0.16 (0.96)] did not differ (P = 0.974). Among children of females with BMI of <25, HAZ was higher in the SQ-LNS [−0.04 (1.00)] than in the control group [−0.29 (0.94)] (P = 0.004); among females with BMI of ≥25, SQ-LNS [−0.04 (0.91)] and control groups [0.07 (1.00)] did not differ (P = 0.281). Conclusions: There is a sustained impact of prenatal and postnatal SQ-LNS on linear growth among female children and children whose mothers were not overweight. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00970866 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT00970866).