Cognitive and motor development among small-for-gestational-age infants: impact of zinc supplementation, birth weight, and caregiving practices.

What Was Tested

Researchers studied Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc in this randomized controlled trial publication.

Infants who are born small for gestational age (SGA) are at risk for developmental delays, which may be related to deficiencies in zinc, an essential trace metal, or to deficiencies in their ability to elicit caregiver responsiveness (functional isolation hypothesis).

Who Took Part

The study group was 200 infants.

PubMed tags the participants as both men and women.

A randomized, controlled trial of zinc supplementation was conducted among 200 infants in a low-income, urban community in Delhi, India.

Infants were recruited when they were full term (>36 weeks) and SGA (birth weight <10th percentile weight-for-gestational age).

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized study.

The infants were allocated by chance, so the Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc group and the comparison group should start out alike.

At 6 and 10 months, infant development and behavior were measured in a clinical setting using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II.

Caregiver responsiveness, observed on an Indian version of the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment scale, was measured during a home visit at 10 months.

During both the clinic and home visits, caregivers reported on their infant's temperament.

What Was Measured

The subject headings attached to it are Birth Weight, Child Development, Cognition, Developmental Disabilities, Dietary Supplements, Infant Behavior and Infant Care.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc in 200 infants.

Its findings take up roughly 11 sentences of the abstract and are left out here on purpose; the source paper is the place to read them.

The publication is from 2004 (Pediatrics), a journal based in United States.

More context: the Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc compound page, all human trials.