Nutrition
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Growth pattern of infants fed with a mixture of extruded malted maize and cowpea.
Breast milk alone is insufficient to support normal growth during the second half of infancy, so I investigated supplementary feeding for infants' successful transition to solid food. ⋯ Based on similarities in socioeconomic background and weight at birth and 4 mo in the L(1)A(1) and L(2)N infants, the better nutrition status of the L(1)A(1) is attributed to the formulated complementary diet. The contribution of this mixture to total nutrient intake seemed substantial enough to meet the infants' nutritional requirements. The use of a cheaply available plant protein will go a long way in reducing protein-energy malnutrition among children in developing countries. However, because of the low purchasing power of the low-income family, the costs of this product should be studied.