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Field
Abstract
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Before
This project is a randomized controlled trial in Ethiopia that evaluates the impact of: a) the provision of Quality Protein Maize (QPM) seed and b) an intervention to target the consumption of QPM to infants and young children. The trial consists of three randomly assigned groups: a control group, a treatment group in which households are given free QPM seed, and a treatment group in which households are given free QPM seed and female caregivers are given additional information about the benefits of QPM for children and receive a specially labeled container for earmarking QPM grain specifically for child consumption. Primary outcomes are child growth (height for age Z-scores), hemoglobin, biomarkers of protein status, and child consumption of QPM. This study is novel in its recognition that adoption alone is not sufficient for agricultural technologies to improve nutrition for vulnerable children and thus evaluates simple interventions targeting key barriers along the pathway from adoption to nutrition.
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After
This project is a randomized controlled trial in Ethiopia that evaluates the impact of: a) the provision of Quality Protein Maize (QPM) seed and b) an intervention to target the consumption of QPM to infants and young children. The trial consists of three randomly assigned groups: a control group, a treatment group in which households are given free QPM seed, and a treatment group in which households are given free QPM seed and female caregivers are given additional information about the benefits of QPM for children and receive a specially labeled container for earmarking QPM grain specifically for child consumption. Primary outcomes are child growth (height for age, weight for age and weight for height Z-scores), biomarkers of protein status, and child consumption of QPM. This study is novel in its recognition that adoption alone is not sufficient for agricultural technologies to improve nutrition for vulnerable children and thus evaluates simple interventions targeting key barriers along the pathway from adoption to nutrition.
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Field
Primary Outcomes (End Points)
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Before
Consumption
• Consumption of any QPM by the index child (measured both in the last 24 hours and in the last week)
• Amount of QPM consumed by the index child in the last 24 hours (grams)
• # of days in the last week that the index child consumed a QPM-based food
• Index child’s proportion of total maize consumption that was QPM in the last 24 hours
• Total caloric intake by index child in the last 24 hours
• Total utilizable protein intake (grams) by index child in the last 24 hours
Cooking
• Caregiver cooked a QPM-based food (measured both in the last 24 hours and in the last week)
• Amount of QPM used by caregiver for household cooking in the last 24 hours (grams)
• Amount of QPM used by caregiver for household cooking in the last 24 hours that was then consumed by children under 3 years of age (grams)
• Number of times the caregiver cooked a QPM based food (measured in the last 24 hours and in the last week)
• Proportion of QPM in maize used by caregiver for household cooking in the last 24 hours
• Caregiver cooked a QPM-based food that was consumed only by children under 3 years (measured in the last 24 hours and in the last week)
• # of days in the last week that caregiver cooked a QPM-based food that was consumed only by children under 3 years
• Caregiver cooked a food that was consumed only by children under 3 years (measured in the last 24 hours and in the last week)
• # of days in the last week that caregiver cooked a food that was consumed only by children under 3 years
Anthropometrics
• Height-for-age Z-score of index child
• Weight-for-height Z-score of index child
• Weight-for-age Z-score of index child
• Mid-upper arm circumference Z-score of index child
Biomarkers
• Serum transthyretin (continuous measurement)
• Insulin-like growth factor I (continuous measurement)
Agricultural outcomes
• Hectares of QPM planted
• Hectares of maize planted
• Kilograms of QPM produced
• Kilograms of maize produced
• Total income from agricultural season
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After
Consumption
• Consumption of any QPM by the index child (measured both in the last 24 hours and in the last week)
• Amount of QPM consumed by the index child in the last 24 hours (grams)
• # of days in the last week that the index child consumed a QPM-based food
• Index child’s proportion of total maize consumption that was QPM in the last 24 hours
• Total caloric intake by index child in the last 24 hours
• Total utilizable protein intake (grams) by index child in the last 24 hours
Cooking
• Number of days in the last week that caregiver cooked a QPM-based food that was primarily for target children
Anthropometrics
• Height-for-age Z-score of index child
• Weight-for-height Z-score of index child
• Weight-for-age Z-score of index child
• Mid-upper arm circumference Z-score of index child
Biomarkers
• Serum transthyretin (continuous measurement)
• Insulin-like growth factor I (continuous measurement)
• Secondary: Serum lysine
• Secondary: Serum tryptophan
Agricultural outcomes
• Hectares of QPM planted
• Amount of QPM reserved for home consumption
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