Dietary intake and growth of HIV exposed and unexposed 6–12 months old infants in South Africa

Abstract Factors affecting the growth of HIV‐exposed‐uninfected (HEU) children are multi‐factorial, with limited information available on the dietary intake from 6 months. This study compared the dietary intake, micronutrient composition of breastmilk, and growth of HEU and HIV‐unexposed‐uninfected...

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Main Authors: Phumudzo Tshiambara, Marinel Hoffman, Heather Legodi, Yusentha Balakrishna, Ute Feucht
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-01-01
Series:Maternal and Child Nutrition
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13740
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author Phumudzo Tshiambara
Marinel Hoffman
Heather Legodi
Yusentha Balakrishna
Ute Feucht
author_facet Phumudzo Tshiambara
Marinel Hoffman
Heather Legodi
Yusentha Balakrishna
Ute Feucht
author_sort Phumudzo Tshiambara
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Factors affecting the growth of HIV‐exposed‐uninfected (HEU) children are multi‐factorial, with limited information available on the dietary intake from 6 months. This study compared the dietary intake, micronutrient composition of breastmilk, and growth of HEU and HIV‐unexposed‐uninfected (HUU) infants aged 6 and 12 months in an urban setting. A repeated cross‐sectional study used structured questionnaires to collect socio‐demographic, dietary intake, food group data, and anthropometric measurements in the Siyakhula study. The HEU (48%) and HUU (52%) infants were included (total n = 181). At 6 months, HEU infants had lower weight‐for‐age z‐scores (WAZ) (−0.6 ± 1.1 vs. 0.1 ± 1.2; p < 0.001), length‐for‐age z‐scores (−0.8 ± 1.4 vs. −0.1 ± 1.2; p < 0.001), and mid‐upper‐arm circumference‐for‐age z‐scores (MUACAZ) (0.5 ± 1.1 vs. 1.0 ± 0.9; p < 0.001) than HUU infants. At 12 months, HEU infants had lower WAZ, MUACAZ, and weight‐for‐length z‐scores compared to HUU infants (p < 0.05). Stunting was found at 6 (15%) and 12 (12%) months in HEU infants. The micronutrient composition of breastmilk fed to both groups was similar. Breastfeeding rates were lower in HEU than in HUU infants at 6 (49% vs. 64%; p = 0.005) and 12 (24% vs. 46%; p = 0.002) months. Less than 3% of HEU and HUU infants achieved minimal dietary diversity scores at 12 months. Dietary intake of fat was similar in all breastfed infants, but iron and vitamin B12 were higher in non‐breastfed HEU infants at 12 months. HEU infants had lower breastfeeding rates than HUU infants. A lack of dietary diversity was found in all infants. Nutrition education and counselling in the complementary feeding phase are essential for optimal growth.
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spelling doaj-art-f456dd70d8824062a1f50f55b018b8d02024-12-17T09:57:24ZengWileyMaternal and Child Nutrition1740-86951740-87092025-01-01211n/an/a10.1111/mcn.13740Dietary intake and growth of HIV exposed and unexposed 6–12 months old infants in South AfricaPhumudzo Tshiambara0Marinel Hoffman1Heather Legodi2Yusentha Balakrishna3Ute Feucht4Department of Human Nutrition Faculty of Health Sciences University of Pretoria Pretoria South AfricaDepartment of Consumer and Food Sciences Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences University of Pretoria Pretoria South AfricaDepartment of Human Nutrition and Dietetics Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University Ga‐Rankuwa South AfricaBiostatistics Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council Durban South AfricaResearch Centre for Maternal, Fetal, Newborn and Child Health Care Strategies University of Pretoria Pretoria South AfricaAbstract Factors affecting the growth of HIV‐exposed‐uninfected (HEU) children are multi‐factorial, with limited information available on the dietary intake from 6 months. This study compared the dietary intake, micronutrient composition of breastmilk, and growth of HEU and HIV‐unexposed‐uninfected (HUU) infants aged 6 and 12 months in an urban setting. A repeated cross‐sectional study used structured questionnaires to collect socio‐demographic, dietary intake, food group data, and anthropometric measurements in the Siyakhula study. The HEU (48%) and HUU (52%) infants were included (total n = 181). At 6 months, HEU infants had lower weight‐for‐age z‐scores (WAZ) (−0.6 ± 1.1 vs. 0.1 ± 1.2; p < 0.001), length‐for‐age z‐scores (−0.8 ± 1.4 vs. −0.1 ± 1.2; p < 0.001), and mid‐upper‐arm circumference‐for‐age z‐scores (MUACAZ) (0.5 ± 1.1 vs. 1.0 ± 0.9; p < 0.001) than HUU infants. At 12 months, HEU infants had lower WAZ, MUACAZ, and weight‐for‐length z‐scores compared to HUU infants (p < 0.05). Stunting was found at 6 (15%) and 12 (12%) months in HEU infants. The micronutrient composition of breastmilk fed to both groups was similar. Breastfeeding rates were lower in HEU than in HUU infants at 6 (49% vs. 64%; p = 0.005) and 12 (24% vs. 46%; p = 0.002) months. Less than 3% of HEU and HUU infants achieved minimal dietary diversity scores at 12 months. Dietary intake of fat was similar in all breastfed infants, but iron and vitamin B12 were higher in non‐breastfed HEU infants at 12 months. HEU infants had lower breastfeeding rates than HUU infants. A lack of dietary diversity was found in all infants. Nutrition education and counselling in the complementary feeding phase are essential for optimal growth.https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13740complementary feedingdietary intakegrowthHIV exposureinfantsurban setting
spellingShingle Phumudzo Tshiambara
Marinel Hoffman
Heather Legodi
Yusentha Balakrishna
Ute Feucht
Dietary intake and growth of HIV exposed and unexposed 6–12 months old infants in South Africa
Maternal and Child Nutrition
complementary feeding
dietary intake
growth
HIV exposure
infants
urban setting
title Dietary intake and growth of HIV exposed and unexposed 6–12 months old infants in South Africa
title_full Dietary intake and growth of HIV exposed and unexposed 6–12 months old infants in South Africa
title_fullStr Dietary intake and growth of HIV exposed and unexposed 6–12 months old infants in South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Dietary intake and growth of HIV exposed and unexposed 6–12 months old infants in South Africa
title_short Dietary intake and growth of HIV exposed and unexposed 6–12 months old infants in South Africa
title_sort dietary intake and growth of hiv exposed and unexposed 6 12 months old infants in south africa
topic complementary feeding
dietary intake
growth
HIV exposure
infants
urban setting
url https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13740
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AT heatherlegodi dietaryintakeandgrowthofhivexposedandunexposed612monthsoldinfantsinsouthafrica
AT yusenthabalakrishna dietaryintakeandgrowthofhivexposedandunexposed612monthsoldinfantsinsouthafrica
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