Effects of multiple herb formula SEC-22 supplementation on dietary intake, picky eating behaviors, and growth indices in thin preschool children

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVESThin children may have insufficient intake of energy and nutrients, resulting in reduced immune function and growth. This study aimed to identify the effects of multiple herb formula SEC-22 supplementation on growth, dietary changes, and picky eating behaviors in thin children.SUBJECTS/METHODSA double-blind, randomized clinical trial was conducted on 79 children aged 2-5 years with poor appetites, BMI percentile < 25, and without any illness. Subjects were given either SEC-22 (n = 35) or placebo (n = 44) for 2 months and followed for an additional 2 months. Three-day dietary records, questionnaires on picky eating behaviors, and anthropometric measures were collected.RESULTSEnergy, carbohydrate intake, and feeding difficulty improved in both groups during the intervention period. However, changes were maintained only in the SEC-22 group after 2 months of follow-up post-supplementation. 'Frequency of trying to feed' was improved in the SEC-22 group compared to the placebo group after the first month of follow-up (P < 0.05). Intakes of potassium and thiamine were improved in the SEC-22 group compared to the placebo group after the first month of intervention (P < 0.05). 'Frequency of food reward', eating amount, and intakes of carbohydrate, potassium, and vitamin C showed significant improvement compared to the placebo group after the second month of follow-up (P < 0.05).CONCLUSIONSThese results suggest that SEC-22 supplementation can improve parental feeding difficulty resulting from insufficient eating amount or picky eating as well as increase nutrient intake in thin children. Although these improvements were observable at least 2 months after supplementation, effects beyond this time frame need to be confirmed.

Interventions for Picky Eaters among Typically Developed Children—A Scoping Review

“…Some studies additionally included post-intervention follow-up sessions. The follow-up period ranged from two to thirty months after the conclusion of the trial [ 39 , 40 , 41 , 46 ].…”

“…However, PE evaluation was used as a confounding factor or an outcome measure in eight of the eleven studies to assess the efficacy of the interventions. The instrument used for the assessment was the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) [ 31 , 37 , 39 , 41 , 42 ], the modified version of Carruth, et al [ 46 , 51 ], the Lifestyle Behaviour Checklist (LBC) [ 39 ] and the Child Food Neophobia Scale (CFNS) [ 32 , 33 , 37 , 42 ], which were carried out by parents of the subjects.…”

“…As shown in Table 2 , there are two types of interventions found: single-component and multi-component interventions. A total of thirteen studies used single-component intervention [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 39 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 ], while the remaining three adopted multi-component intervention [ 40 , 41 , 42 ].…”

“…The component approaches used in the 13 single-component studies were sensory, nutrition, and parenting. The sensory component approach (54%) [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ] is the most common approach among the 13 studies, followed by the nutrition component approach (38%) [ 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 ] and the parenting component approach (8%) [ 39 ]. The sensory component provides the focal point for repeated exposure and sensory play [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ].…”

“…In the sensory play, children are allowed to touch, observe, and taste the foods presented as they please. As for the nutrition component approach, it places a primary emphasis on supplementary foods (oral nutrition supplementation or herbal supplementation that aids in enhancing appetite and general well-being), and/or a supplement that was taken with the intention to increase total calories consumed by the children [ 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 ]. The third component approach is the parenting approach, which consists of general parenting skills, including setting boundaries and providing encouragement.…”