The interaction of iron deficiency and psychosocial care on child behavior and cognitive outcomes: A longitudinal study of Senegalese children.
Ortolano, Stephanie.
2012
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Abstract: The
purpose of this thesis is to explore the relationships among child cognitive
development, provision of care to the child, and the child's iron status through the use
of quantitative and qualitative data. Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia remain
widespread problems throughout much of the world and have potentially serious
consequences for child development and learning ... read moreoutcomes. Cognitive development is
influenced both through physiological and psychological mechanisms. Provision of care is
a factor that can influence both nutritional status and cognitive development. This
longitudinal study addresses the three concurrent relationships between iron status and
cognitive development, iron status and interaction with the physical environment, and
interaction and provision of care. The first hypothesis is that children between 24 and
42 months with low hemoglobin levels (as defined by Hb ≤ 10.5 g/dl) have lower
activity levels, and lower focused activity levels, than the children with higher
hemoglobin levels, when observed in the home setting. This was tested using a test of
means for two groups, dividing the children into anemic (Hb < 10.5 g/dl) and
non-anemic (Hb 10.5 g/dl). The second set of hypotheses test the relative
importance of certain feeding practices on child anemia status, including the age of
introduction of fish and the provision and quality of the late afternoon meal, the
diogonal. Multiple regressions and ANOVA were used to determine the strength of the
association between these practices and iron status, controlling for socio-economic
status and age of child. The third set of hypotheses tests the complex relationships
between good care practices and activity, attentiveness and learning achievements of the
anemic child, with the goal of assessing the degree to which good home care serves to
mitigate the negative impacts of iron deficiency on child development. Children with
lower iron status but higher levels of maternal interaction and cognitive stimulation
will have better cognitive development that children with lower iron status who do not
receive as much stimulation. This protective effect will persist beyond early childhood,
leading to differences in school performance at age 10-11 years. Multiple regression was
used to determine immediate impact of iron status and care on picture vocabulary score
(at age 24-42 months) and later impact on school performance (at age 10-11 years). Lower
physical activity and lower focused activity that are present in the anemic child have
implications for the child's cognitive development. We expect that more attentive
mothers will have children with better iron status, but there is also an iterative
relationship here where the child with better iron status will attract more maternal
interaction and attention. The tests for cognitive outcomes were administered at two
different points in time and have implications for the short- and long-term impacts of
iron deficiency in early childhood. While the data are specific to the population and
culture where the study was conducted, there will be conclusions drawn that will have a
more general relevance. This information can be used both to design interventions and to
influence policy decisions for early childhood nutrition and education
programs.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Tufts University, 2012.
Submitted to the Dept. of Food Policy & Applied Nutrition.
Advisor: Beatrice Rogers.
Committee: Marian Zeitlin, and Raymond Hyatt.
Keywords: Nutrition, Behavioral psychology, and Early childhood education.read less - ID:
- mk61rv40g
- Component ID:
- tufts:20484
- To Cite:
- TARC Citation Guide EndNote
