Abstract

Objective
To investigate the relationship between anthropometric characteristics and both geophagy and cognitive function of children
Study design
The study prospectively followed singleton children whose mothers participated in the MiPPAD clinical trial in Allada, Benin, from birth to age 12 months. Anthropometric measurements were taken at birth, 9 months and 12 months. Wasting, stunting and underweight were defined as weight-for-length, length-for-age and weight-for-age Z-scores less than -2, respectively. Cognitive and motor functions were assessed using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL). Parent-reported geophageous habits of children were collected when the children were 12 months. Multiple linear and logistic regressions were used to analyse the data.
Results
A total of 632 children (49.7% girls) were involved in the study. Stunting, wasting and underweight were observed in 14.1%, 13.6% and 17.7% respectively at 9 months and 17.3%, 12.7% and 17.2% respectively at 12 months. The prevalence of geophagy among the children was 48.2%. Impaired growth at 9 and 12 months were consistently associated with low cognitive and gross motor score. Children stunted at 9 months had lower GM scores at 12 months compared to their non-stunted peers [β = -3.48, 95% CI (-6.62, -0.35)].
Conclusions
Stunting, wasting and underweight are associated with cognitive and gross motor deficits in infants. In this setting, impaired growth was not associated with geophagy. Further research evaluating geophagy and growth prospectively and concurrently from birth to 36 months is needed.