Peso de nacimiento y posterior estado nutricional, desarrollo cognitivo y actividad ocupacional: una revisión crítica / Birth weight and later nutritional status, cognitive development and job status: a critical review

El impacto del estado nutricional prenatal, especialmente lo concerniente al peso de nacimiento (PN) y sus efectos tanto en el corto, mediano o largo plazo, sobre el estado nutricional y el desarrollo cognitivo del niño y, sobre la ocupación desempeñada en la vida adulta, ha sido una problemática de interés para diversos investigadores; al respecto, algunos autores encuentran una asociación positiva y significativa entre estas variables, mientras que otros no encuentran ninguna relación. Es así como se ha descrito que niños con PN insuficiente, bajo o, extremadamente bajo, además del deterioro temprano del estado nutricional, presentarían en el corto plazo, un mayor riesgo de daño en la maduración cerebral, retraso del desarrollo cognitivo y menores circunferencias craneanas, lo que implicaría menor volumen encefálico y bajo rendimiento intelectual. En el corto y mediano plazo, esta situación perjudicaría el proceso enseñanza-aprendizaje en la etapa escolar, mientras que en el largo plazo, esto condicionaría la ocupación a desempeñar en la vida adulta. Actualmente, el cuerpo de conocimientos pone de manifiesto que los hallazgos relativos a estas asociaciones no son concluyentes, existiendo gran controversia en estas materias. Este artículo de revisión tiene el propósito de analizar la evidencia existente hasta este momento, con el objeto de incentivar la investigación en estos aspectos que son de gran relevancia para el desarrollo del niño y su vida futura.

The impact of prenatal nutritional status, assessed through birth weight (BW) and their effects in the short, medium and long-term on nutritional status, cognitive development and job status in the adult life, has been a problem of interest for several researchers; as regards, some of these report a positive and significant association between these variables and others do not find any relation. Children with insufficient, low or very low BW despite the early more deteriorate nutritional status should present higher risk for brain maturation, failure cognitive development and lowered head circumference which implies both lowered brain volume and intellectual development. In the short and medium-term, this situation damages the learning process at school-age, while in the long-term this might condition the quality of jobs. At present, the body of knowledge pinpoints that findings related to these associations is not conclusive verifying a great controversy in these matters. This review article has the purpose of analyzing the current evidence, in order to stimulate research about to these aspects which are relevant for child development and their future life.

[Birth weight and later nutritional status, cognitive development and job status: a critical revision]. / Peso de nacimiento y posterior estado nutricional, desarrollo cognitivo y actividad ocupacional: una revisión crítica.

The impact of prenatal nutritional status, assessed through birth weight (BW) and their effects in the short, medium and long-term on nutritional status, cognitive development and job status in the adult life, has been a problem of interest for several researchers; as regards, some of these report a positive and significant association between these variables and others do not find any relation. Children with insufficient, low or very low BW despite the early more deteriorate nutritional status should present higher risk for brain maturation, failure cognitive development and lowered head circumference which implies both lowered brain volume and intellectual development. In the short and medium-term, this situation damages the learning process at school-age, while in the long-term this might condition the quality of jobs. At present, the body of knowledge pinpoints that findings related to these associations is not conclusive verifying a great controversy in these matters. This review article has the purpose of analyzing the current evidence, in order to stimulate research about to these aspects which are relevant for child development and their future life.

Twelve-year follow-up study of the impact of nutritional status at the onset of elementary school on later educational situation of Chilean school-age children.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of nutritional status in a multicausal approach of socio-economic, socio-cultural, family, intellectual, educational and demographic variables at the onset of elementary school in 1987 on the educational situation of these children in 1998, when they should have graduated from high school. SETTING: Chile's Metropolitan Region. DESIGN: Prospective, observational and 12-year follow-up study. METHODS: A representative sample of 813 elementary first grade school-age children was randomly chosen in 1987. The sample was assessed in two cross-sectional studies. The first cross-sectional study was carried out in at the onset of elementary school in 1987 and the second was carried out in 1998, 12-years later, when they should be graduating from high school. In 1998, 632 adolescent students were located and their educational situation was registered (dropout, delayed, graduated and not located). At the onset of elementary school were determined the nutritional status, socio-economic status (SES), family characteristics, intellectual ability (IA), scholastic achievement (SA) and demographic variables. Statistical analysis included variance tests and Scheffe's test was used for comparison of means. Pearson correlation coefficients and logistic regression were used to establish the most important independent variables at the onset of elementary school in 1987 that affect the educational situation 1998. Data were analysed using the statistical analysis system (SAS). RESULTS: Logistic regression revealed that SES, IA, SA and head circumference-for-age Z score at the onset of elementary school in 1987 were the independent variables with the greatest explanatory power in the educational situation of school-age children in 1998. CONCLUSIONS: These parameters at an early school age are good predictors of the educational situation later and these results can be useful for nutrition and educational planning in early childhood.

Long-term effects of severe undernutrition during the first year of life on brain development and learning in Chilean high-school graduates.

The objective of this study was to assess the relative impact of undernutrition during the first year of life on brain development, intellectual quotient (IQ), and scholastic achievement (SA) of poor Chilean high-school graduates (mean age = 18.3 +/- 0.9 y). A comparative study of two groups of high-school graduates from a low socioeconomic stratum was carried out. The undernourished group (n = 16), who had suffered from severe undernutrition during the first year of life, was compared with the non-undernourished group (n = 16). The final sample consisted of 32 right-handed high-school graduate students born at term who had no history of alcoholism or symptoms of brain damage, epilepsy, or heart disease and whose mothers had no history of smoking, alcoholism, or drug intake before and during pregnancy. Socioeconomic status was measured by using Graffar's modified method. Birth weight was used as the prenatal nutritional status index, and postnatal nutritional status was assessed by the body mass index, Z score for head circumference, and brachial anthropometry. IQ was determined with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Adults, and SA was determined with test in language and mathematics with the academic aptitude test. Brain development was evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging. Statistical analysis included variance tests, Scheffe's test for comparison of means, correlation, and multiple regression. Maternal schooling, brain volume, and undernutrition were the independent variables, with the greatest explanatory power in IQ variance (r(2) = 0.714). Only IQ explained SA variance (r(2) = 0.860); IQ, corpus callosum length, anteroposterior diameter, and maternal schooling were the independent variables, with the greatest explanatory power in the academic aptitude test variance (r(2) = 0.949). Results show that the long-term effects of malnutrition at an early age may affect brain development, IQ, and SA in school-age children. These findings are useful for nutrition and educational planning.

Missing upper beak: a new lethal mutation in domestic fowl.

A new condition affecting the facial structure of domestic fowl is described. It is controlled by an autosomal recessive gene having complete penetrance. The mutation has been named missing upper beak and the gene symbol mub is proposed. The condition is an obligate lethal. Mortality occurs on the twelfth day of incubation or during the hatching process. One chick hatched unaided and five were assisted from the shell; none of these survived beyond 11 days of age. They had partial vision and hearing, they could vocalize and had normal balance, but they were unable to eat. Major phenotypic effects of the mutation are absence of the upper beak and absence of eyelids. All or part of the upper eyelid is always missing; the lower eyelid and nictitating membrane may be present or absent. Premaxilla and nasal bones are greatly reduced causing the upper beak to be rudimentary. Other membranous bones of the head are reduced causing the face to be shortened. Cartilaginous bones appear not to be affected. It is postulated that the condition results from a defect in membrane formation during embryonic development.