Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32699176›Full record

Trial reportBMJ (Clinical research ed.)2020

Effects of food supplementation on cognitive function, cerebral blood flow, and nutritional status in young children at risk of undernutrition: randomized controlled trial.

Susan B Roberts, Maria A Franceschini, Rachel E Silver, Salima F Taylor, Augusto Braima de Sa, Raimundo Có, Aliu Sonco, Amy Krauss, Amy Taetzsch, Patrick Webb and 10 more

2 registry-linked trialsOpen access · hybridAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 35 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
35citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
4.3field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT03017209 nacompletednot on this map

Study on a Locally Prepared Food Supplement to Support Growth and Brain Health

TypeinterventionalSponsorTufts UniversityRan2017 to 2018Enrolled1,059ConditionsMalnutrition, Child, Cognitive FunctionArmsLocally-prepared bar, USAID Corn Soy Blend Plus, Placebo
NCT07109505 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Comparison of Clinical and Patient Centered Outcomes: Postoperative Multi-nutrient Meal Plus Enhanced Recovery vs. Enhanced Recovery Alone

TypeinterventionalSponsorDartmouth-Hitchcock Medical CenterRan2025 to 2026Enrolled100ConditionsPostoperative Care, Postoperative Complications, Cognition, Nutritional AssessmentArmsNutritional Shake, Nutritional Instructions Only
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

35 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 67 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Susan B RobertsGerald J and Dorothy R Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA susan.roberts@tufts.edu.ORCID 0000-0003-1320-8460
Maria A FranceschiniAthinoula A Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA.
Rachel E SilverGerald J and Dorothy R Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
Salima F TaylorGerald J and Dorothy R Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
Augusto Braima de SaInternational Partnership for Human Development, Leesburg, VA, USA and Bissau, Guinea Bissau.
Raimundo CóInternational Partnership for Human Development, Leesburg, VA, USA and Bissau, Guinea Bissau.
Aliu SoncoInternational Partnership for Human Development, Leesburg, VA, USA and Bissau, Guinea Bissau.
Amy KraussPeeled Snacks, Cumberland, RI, USA.
Amy TaetzschGerald J and Dorothy R Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
Patrick WebbGerald J and Dorothy R Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
Sai Krupa DasGerald J and Dorothy R Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
C-Y ChenBiofortis, Mérieux NutriSciences, Addison, IL, USA.
Beatrice L RogersGerald J and Dorothy R Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
Edward SaltzmanGerald J and Dorothy R Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
Pei-Yi LinAthinoula A Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA.
Nina SchlossmanGerald J and Dorothy R Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
William PruzenskyInternational Partnership for Human Development, Leesburg, VA, USA and Bissau, Guinea Bissau.
Carlito BaléInternational Partnership for Human Development, Leesburg, VA, USA and Bissau, Guinea Bissau.
Kenneth Kwan Ho ChuiDepartment of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
Paul MuentenerDepartment of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA.
Tufts University · USUnited States Agency for International Development · USMassachusetts General Hospital · US

Funding

Improving infant hydrocephalus outcomes in Uganda: Predicting developmental outcomes and identifying patients at risk for early treatment failure after ETV/CPCR01HD096693 · NICHD · BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL · PI LIN, PEI-YI, WARF, BENJAMIN CURTIS · 2018 to 2022
$2.8M
Beside Monitor of Cerebral Metabolism in Premature Infants with Intraventricular R00HD083512 · NICHD · BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL · PI LIN, PEI-YI · 2017 to 2019
$740k
NICHD NIH HHS R00 HD083512NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD096693
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo assess the effects of food supplementation on improving working memory and additional measures including cerebral blood flow in children at risk of undernutrition.

designRandomized controlled trial.

setting10 villages in Guinea-Bissau.

participants1059 children aged 15 months to 7 years; children younger than 4 were the primary population.

interventionsSupervised isocaloric servings (≈1300 kJ, five mornings each week, 23 weeks) of a new food supplement (NEWSUP, high in plant polyphenols and omega 3 fatty acids, within a wide variety and high fortification of micronutrients, and a high protein content), or a fortified blended food (FBF) used in nutrition programs, or a control meal (traditional rice breakfast). MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was working memory, a core executive function predicting long term academic achievement. Additional outcomes were hemoglobin concentration, growth, body composition, and index of cerebral blood flow (CBF

resultsAmong children younger than 4, randomization to NEWSUP increased working memory compared with the control meal (rate ratio 1.20, 95% confidence interval 1.02 to 1.41, P=0.03), with a larger effect in the per protocol population (1.25, 1.06 to 1.47, P=0.009). NEWSUP also increased hemoglobin concentration among children with anemia (adjusted mean difference 0.65 g/dL, 95% confidence interval 0.23 to 1.07, P=0.003) compared with the control meal, decreased body mass index z score gain (-0.23, -0.43 to -0.02, P=0.03), and increased lean tissue accretion (2.98 cm

conclusionsChildhood undernutrition is associated with long term impairment in cognition. Contrary to current understanding, supplementary feeding for 23 weeks could improve executive function, brain health, and nutritional status in vulnerable young children living in low income countries. Further research is needed to optimize nutritional prescriptions for regenerative improvements in cognitive function, and to test effectiveness in other vulnerable groups.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03017209.

Indexed as

Academic SuccessAnemiaCase-Control StudiesCerebrovascular CirculationChildChild, PreschoolCognitionCognitive DysfunctionDietary SupplementsFemaleFood, FortifiedGuinea-BissauHumansInfantIntention to Treat AnalysisMaleMicronutrients

Identifiers

PMID32699176
PMCPMC7374799
OpenAlexW3044791928

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.