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Session: Micronutrients Supplementation and Human Health (Oral 11)

(OR11-05-24) Preconception Micronutrient Supplementation Positively Affects Offspring Cognition at 10–11 Years of Age: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Vietnam

Sunday, June 30, 2024
10:36 AM – 10:48 AM CT
Location:  W183
Objectives: The importance of maternal periconceptional nutrition for offspring health and development has received increased attention recently, yet very few intervention studies have evaluated the long-term effects on offspring growth and cognitive outcomes. We evaluated the impact of preconception weekly multiple micronutrients (MM) or iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation compared to folic acid (FA) alone on offspring body composition and cognitive function during the school-age years and early adolescence.

Methods: We followed 1,599 offspring born to women who participated in a double-blinded randomized controlled trial of preconception supplementation (PRECONCEPT) in Vietnam. Women received weekly supplements of 2800μg FA only, 60mg iron and 2800μg FA, or MM (15 micronutrients including IFA), from baseline until conception; followed by daily prenatal IFA supplements until delivery. We assessed child anthropometry, academic achievement (using a mathematics and language test) and cognitive functioning (using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children) at 10-11y. Group comparisons were done using ANOVA tests for all children (intention-to-treat) and the subgroup born to women who consumed the supplements ≥26 weeks before conception (per-protocol analyses).

Results: Compared to the offspring in the FA group (n=508), those in the MM (n=485) and IFA groups (n=475) had a higher perceptual reasoning index in both intention-to-treat (mean difference of 1.60 (95%CI: -0.06, 3.27) for MM and 1.93 (0.26, 3.60) for IFA) and per-protocol analysis (mean difference 2.53 (0.26, 4.80) and 2.59 (0.33,4.85), respectively). There were no differences by baseline maternal and offspring birth characteristics but adjusting for child age, sex, maternal BMI and home environment attenuated the association. There were no significant differences by treatment group for body size, composition, or academic achievement.

Conclusions: Preconception supplementation with MM and IFA improved certain aspects of child cognitive functioning at age 10-11y compared to FA alone. Our findings suggest possible long-term benefits providing micronutrient supplements to women of reproductive age.

Funding Sources: The Nestle Foundation, the Mathile Institute for the Advancement of Human Nutrition, and the Micronutrient Initiative