Corn fortification, a field demonstration model; annual report, 1974/1975

IT WAS THOUGHT THAT IF THIS CORN WERE CONSUMED BY PERSONS LIVING UNDER NATURAL CONDITIONS, A POSITIVE BIOLOGICAL EFFECT ON THE GROWTH PATTERN OF CHILDREN, AND ON MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WOULD BE OBSERVED. TO TEST THIS HYPOTHESIS, THE CORN CONSUMED SINCE JUNE 1972 BY THE VILLAGERS OF SANTA MARIA CAUQUE, GUATEMALA, WAS FORTIFIED. STRONG INDICATORS PROVIDED BY THE RESEARCH FINDINGS SHOWED THAT IT HAD BEEN BENEFICIAL IN REDUCING THE INFANT MORTALITY BY 50%. SECOND TO FIFTH-YEAR MORTALITY ALSO CLEARLY HAD BEEN REDUCED, AND MORBIDITY DURING WEANING HAD BEEN LOWERED BY 33%. THESE CHANGES APPEAR TO BE INDEPENDENT OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC CLASS. EVEN THOUGH A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON POSTNATAL GROWTH WAS NOT EVIDENT, A POSITIVE TENDENCY TOWARD BETTER GROWTH INCREMENTS WAS FOUND IN CHILDREN 3 TO 5 YEARS OLD. NO CHANGE IN FETAL GROWTH WAS FOUND; HOWEVER THE DIETARY INTAKE OF PREGNANT WOMEN WAS IMPROVED ESPECIALLY DURING THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF PREGNANCY. SO FAR, THERE HAS BEEN A VERY BENEFICIAL EFFECT ON THE CHILDREN"S HEALTH. IT IS PROPOSED THAT THIS PROJECT BE CONTINUED, TO INCREASE THE LEVEL OF FORTIFICATION TO 10% AND TO FIND POSITIVE CHANGES IN OTHER NUTRITIONAL PARAMETERS.