Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39032770›Full record

Trial reportThe Journal of pediatrics2024

Growth and Cognitive Development in Tanzanian Children are Associated with Timing of Birth in Relation to Seasonal Malnutrition.

Tarina Parpia, Sarah Elwood, Elizabeth T Rogawski McQuade, Erling Svensen, Anne Wanjuhi, Samwel Jatosh, Eliwaza Bayo, Emanuel Hhando, Eric R Houpt, Estomih Mduma and 3 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract readClinical Trial, Phase IIClinical Trial, Phase III
In one paragraph

Trial report in The Journal of pediatrics, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03268902 (Early Life Interventions for Childhood Growth and Development In Tanzania), which is not on this map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

NCT03268902 phase2 / phase3completednot on this map

Early Life Interventions for Childhood Growth and Development In Tanzania

TypeinterventionalSponsorHaydom Lutheran HospitalRan2017 to 2020Enrolled1,188ConditionsMalnutrition, Stunting, Cognitive Development, Enteric PathogensArmsAzithromycin Oral Liquid Product, Nitazoxanide Oral Suspension, Nicotinamide, Placebos
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Longitudinal Growth Patterns in Boys and Girls Aged 9-14 Years by Birth Season.American journal of human biology : the official journal of the Human Biology Council · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
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

13 authors.

Tarina ParpiaDivision of Infectious Diseases & International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA.
Sarah ElwoodDivision of Infectious Diseases & International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA.
Elizabeth T Rogawski McQuadeDepartment of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.
Erling SvensenHaukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
Anne WanjuhiDivision of Infectious Diseases & International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA.
Samwel JatoshHaydom Global Health Research Centre, Haydom, Tanzania.
Eliwaza BayoHaydom Global Health Research Centre, Haydom, Tanzania.
Emanuel HhandoHaydom Global Health Research Centre, Haydom, Tanzania.
Eric R HouptDivision of Infectious Diseases & International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA.
Estomih MdumaHaydom Global Health Research Centre, Haydom, Tanzania.
Mark D DeBoerDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA.
Rebecca J ScharfDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA.
James A Platts-MillsDivision of Infectious Diseases & International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA. Electronic address: jp5t@virginia.edu.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo evaluate in a rural Tanzanian birth cohort the association between birth timing in relation to the preharvest lean season and early-life growth and cognitive development. STUDY

designChildren were enrolled within 14 days of birth and followed up for 18 months. Child anthropometry was measured every 3 months. The Malawi Developmental Assessment Test was administered at the end of follow-up. We estimated the association between timing of birth in the context of other early childhood risk factors and both growth and Malawi Developmental Assessment Test scores.

resultsChildren born in the preharvest months September and October had the lowest cognitive scores at 18 months, compared with birth in July and August (-1.05 change in overall Malawi Developmental Assessment Test development-for-age Z score, 95% CI: -1.23, -0.86). This association was observed for the language (-1.67 change in development-for-age Z score; 95% CI: -1.93, -1.40) and fine motor subcomponent scores (-1.67; 95% CI: -1.96, -1.38) but not for gross motor (-0.07; 95% CI: -0.23, 0.10) or social subcomponents (-0.07; 95% CI: -0.23, 0.10). Children born in September and October were the longest at birth but had the largest declines in growth Z scores during the first 6 months.

conclusionsThere was a strong association between birth at the beginning of the preharvest season and poor growth and cognitive development. If these associations were mediated by the preharvest postnatal environment, targeted maternal and child interventions for children born during high-risk periods may improve these outcomes.

trial registrationNCT03268902 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03268902).

Indexed as

Child DevelopmentCognitionSeasonsBirth CohortFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMaleMalnutritionRisk FactorsTanzaniacognitive developmentfood scarcityglobal healthgrowthmalnutrition

Identifiers

PMID39032770
PMCPMC11582072

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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.