Early INCAP Longitudinal Nutrition Studies at the Community Level

Abstract

This paper reviews the findings of early field studies of INCAP comparing the effects of vitamin B12 and animal and vegetable protein on the growth of poorly nourished schoolchildren. It also describes a 5-year community-based intervention study showing that a protein-rich supplement given to preschool children improves growth and cognition and decreases morbidity and mortality. Medical care in one village had no detectable benefits. A classical seven-year community-based detailed observational study of the infection status and growth in children from birth is also summarized.

Investigation of the Nutrition Problems of Central America and Panama

“…On the other hand, ascorbic acid values were always found to be either adequate or high. The finding of low serum riboflavin in some individuals was consistent with a high prevalence of low intakes of this vitamin, as found in food consumption surveys [1].…”

“…Investigations of dietary habits and food consumption are presented in expanded detail in another article in this issue [1]. Data on nutrient intake will be referred to only when considered pertinent for the interpretation of biochemical and clinical findings.…”

“…Additional biochemical studies similar to the ones already cited [1][2][3][4][5] were carried out in other small communities of the countries, but their results were reported directly to the health sectors as internal documents and were not published. The findings of these studies, however, were generally in good agreement with those discussed above, as well as with a later study published in 1960 [6].…”

The Origin and Development of INCAP

“…Space does not allow description of all of the results of the hundreds of studies reviewed, but the reference lists should make it possible to refer to the original articles that are of individual interest. The findings of the remarkable 12-year study of Leonardo Mata have been published in detail in his book The Children of Santa María Cauqué [10] but are summarized in the article by Guzmán in this issue [4].…”

“…When he returned after 3 years, he became INCAP's longest-serving and most productive research scientist. Miguel Guzmán[4,5] took over the Clinical Chemistry Division until it was his turn for a Kellogg Foundation fellowship and Ph.D. studies in biostatistics at the University of North Carolina. Upon his return, Guzmán became head of the Division of Statistics.…”