OBJECTIVE To examine prevalence of novel newborn types among 541 285 live births in 23 countries from 2000 to 2021. DESIGN Descriptive multi-country secondary data analysis. SETTING Subnational, population-based birth cohort studies (n = 45) in 23 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) spanning 2000-2021. POPULATION Liveborn infants. METHODS Subnational, population-based studies with high-quality birth outcome data from LMICs were invited to join the Vulnerable Newborn Measurement Collaboration. We defined distinct newborn types using gestational age (preterm [PT], term [T]), birthweight for gestational age using INTERGROWTH-21st standards (small for gestational age [SGA], appropriate for gestational age [AGA] or large for gestational age [LGA]), and birthweight (low birthweight, LBW [<2500 g], nonLBW) as ten types (using all three outcomes), six types (by excluding the birthweight categorisation), and four types (by collapsing the AGA and LGA categories). We defined small types as those with at least one classification of LBW, PT or SGA. We presented study characteristics, participant characteristics, data missingness, and prevalence of newborn types by region and study. RESULTS Among 541 285 live births, 476 939 (88.1%) had non-missing and plausible values for gestational age, birthweight and sex required to construct the newborn types. The median prevalences of ten types across studies were T+AGA+nonLBW (58.0%), T+LGA+nonLBW (3.3%), T+AGA+LBW (0.5%), T+SGA+nonLBW (14.2%), T+SGA+LBW (7.1%), PT+LGA+nonLBW (1.6%), PT+LGA+LBW (0.2%), PT+AGA+nonLBW (3.7%), PT+AGA+LBW (3.6%) and PT+SGA+LBW (1.0%). The median prevalence of small types (six types, 37.6%) varied across studies and within regions and was higher in Southern Asia (52.4%) than in Sub-Saharan Africa (34.9%). CONCLUSIONS Further investigation is needed to describe the mortality risks associated with newborn types and understand the implications of this framework for local targeting of interventions to prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes in LMICs.

Enteric pathogens have been related to child undernutrition. Whereas there are lots of data on enteric bacterial microbiota and infections, much less is known about the incidence of prevalence of intestinal colonisation with viruses or important parasitic species. This study assessed the presence of selected viruses and parasites in stools of 469, 354, 468 Malawian children at 6, 12 and 18 months. We also assessed environmental predictors of the presence of viruses and parasites among 6-month infants. Microbial presence was documented using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Enteroviruses were identified in 68%, 80% and 81% of the stool samples at 6, 12 and 18 months children, rhinovirus in 28%, 18% and 31%, norovirus in 24%, 22% and 16%, parechovirus in 23%, 17% and 17%, rotavirus in 3%, 1% and 0.6%, Giardia lamblia in 9.6%, 23.5% and 26%, and Cryptosporidium (spp.) in 6%, 8% and 2% of the 6, 12 and 18 months stool samples. Dry season (May-October) was associated with a low infection rate of enterovirus, norovirus and Cryptosporidium (spp.). Higher father's education level, less number of person in the household and higher sanitation were associated with a low infection rate of enterovirus, norovirus and rotavirus, respectively. The results suggest that the prevalence of asymptomatic viral and parasitic infections is high among Malawian children and that the family's living conditions and seasonality influence the rate of infections.

word count: 250, Manuscript body word count: 5 411 Number of figures: 1 Number of tables: 4 Supplementary tables: 2, Supplementary figures: 3 Study Funding: This manuscript is based on research funded by a grant issued to the University of California, Davis from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The findings and conclusions contained within are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. All authors declare no conflicts of interest Page 1 of 58 Cambridge University Press British Journal of Nutrition

randomised trials suggest that maternal multiple micronutrient supplementation decreases the risk of low birthweight and potentially improves other infant health outcomes. However, heterogeneity across studies suggests influence from effect modifiers. We aimed to identify individual-level modifiers of the effect of multiple micronutrient supplements on stillbirth, birth outcomes, and infant mortality in low-income and middle-income countries. This two-stage meta-analysis of individual patient included data from 17 randomised controlled trials done in 14 low-income and middle-income countries, which compared multiple micronutrient supplements containing iron-folic acid versus iron-folic acid alone in 112 953 pregnant women. We generated study-specific estimates and pooled subgroup estimates using fixed-effects models and assessed heterogeneity between subgroups with the χ² test for heterogeneity. We did sensitivity analyses using random-effects models, stratifying by iron-folic acid dose, and exploring individual study effect.

BackgroundDepressive conditions cause about 25 million disability adjusted life years in low-income countries annually. The incidence of depression rises after puberty, and the young age distribution in these countries may cause a high burden of adolescent depression. We aimed to assess the prevalence of reported depressive symptoms among rural adolescents in Malawi. Additionally, we assessed the association between birth weight, childhood growth, gender, and pubertal maturity and depressive symptoms. MethodsWe followed 767 children from the foetal period until 15-years-of-age. We used the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ) to examine reported depressive symptoms at 15years. The questionnaire was translated to local language and then back-translated until inaccuracies were not detected. Anthropometry was conducted at 1, 24, 120, and 180months of age. We performed regression models with imputed data to assess associations between the independent variables and depressive symptoms. As a sensitivity analysis, we ran the same regression models with participants with no missing data. ResultsA total of 523 participants were seen at 15years. The mean SMFQ score was 15 with 90% (95%CI 87-92%) of the participants scoring 11 points, the traditional cut-off for screening for depression. Birth weight, growth, gender, and pubertal maturity were not associated with the SMFQ score in the primary imputed analyses. In the sensitivity analysis, birth weight was associated with the SMFQ score in all models. ConclusionsThe prevalence of reported depressive symptoms was high among the studied population. It is uncertain how well the traditional cut-off of 11 points identifies children with clinically significant depressive symptoms in our sample. Our data do not support a hypothesis of an association between growth, gender, or pubertal maturity and depressive symptoms. Nevertheless, our results highlight the importance of the awareness of mental health problems in low-income countries.

OBJECTIVES Maternal dental periapical infections are associated with preterm birth and intrauterine growth restriction. This study investigates whether the association is mediated through bacterial spread from periapical lesions to placenta (direct pathway) or systemic inflammatory reaction (indirect pathway). MATERIALS AND METHODS We compared birth outcomes in Malawian mothers with and without periapical infection. As markers of a direct pathway, we identified placental bacteria using a 16S rDNA approach and assessed histological evidence of inflammation in the placenta and amniotic membranes. We measured C-reactive protein, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein, and salivary cortisol as markers of an indirect pathway. We used regression models to associate the predictor variables with duration of pregnancy and newborn size. RESULTS Of 1,024 women, 23.5% had periapical infection. There was no association of periapical infection with either bacterial DNA or histological inflammation in placenta or membranes. Periapical infection was associated with C-reactive protein, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein, and cortisol concentrations in a dose-dependent manner at 36 weeks. Addition of alpha-1-acid glycoprotein or cortisol concentration into regression models attenuated the association between periapical infection and pregnancy outcomes. CONCLUSION There was no evidence of direct spread of periapical bacteria to the placenta. Periapical infections and adverse pregnancy outcomes are in part mediated through systemic inflammation.

Physical activity is beneficial for children's well-being. The effect of dietary supplementation on children's physical activity in food-insecure areas remains little studied. We examined the effects of a lipid-based nutrient supplement (LNS) on children's objectively measured physical activity in a randomised, controlled, outcome-assessor-blinded trial. Mothers of the children received one capsule daily of Fe-folic acid (IFA), one capsule containing eighteen micronutrients (MMN) or one 20 g sachet of LNS (containing twenty-two MMN, protein, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids and 494 kJ (118 kcal)) during pregnancy and for 6 months thereafter. Children in the IFA and MMN groups received no supplementation, and these groups were collapsed into a single control group; children in the LNS group received 20 g LNS from 6 to 18 months. We measured physical activity with accelerometers over 1 week at 18 months. The main outcome was mean vector magnitude counts/15 s. Of the 728 children at the beginning of child intervention at 6 months, 570 (78 %) provided sufficient data for analysis. The mean accelerometer counts for the 190 children in the LNS group and for the 380 children in the control group were 303 (sd 59) and 301 (sd 56), respectively (P for difference=0·65). LNS, given to mothers during pregnancy and 6 months postpartum and to their infants from 6 to 18 months of age, did not increase physical activity among 18-month-old children.

Adequate long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) intake is critical during the fetal and infant periods. We quantified fatty acid content of breast milk (n=718) and plasma from six month old infants (n=412) in southern Malawi, and in usipa (n=3), a small dried fish from Lake Malawi. Compared to global norms, Malawian breast milk fatty acid content (% of total fatty acids) was well above average levels of arachidonic acid [ARA] (0.69% vs. 0.47%) and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA] (0.73% vs. 0.32%). Average Malawian infant plasma ARA (7.5%) and DHA (3.8%) levels were comparable to those reported in infants consuming breast milk with similar fatty acid content. The amounts (mg) of DHA, EPA and ARA provided by a 3oz (85g) portion of dried usipa (1439, 659 and 360, respectively) are considerably higher than those for dried salmon. Usipa may be an important source of LCPUFA for populations in this region.

Micronutrient deficiency affects over 4.5 billion people worldwide, the majority in developing countries. Deficiencies of iron (and associated anaemia) and zinc in pregnancy are associated with complications, maternal and neonatal mortality, and developmental disorders in the foetus and growing child. We report the results of pilot study which used an interdisciplinary approach to explore environmental and sociocultural factors influencing the micronutrient status in the soil-plant-human transfer for pregnant subsistence farmers in two geographically contrasting regions of Southern Malawi. It evaluated micronutrient status in soil and the staple crop and explored the context for their transfer to pregnant women. Scientific and social science methods were used to collect data, following full sensitisation of the communities. A total of 99 participants were recruited from Chiradzulu (plateau) and Chikwawa (floodplain). Soil, maize and blood samples were collected, along with food frequency and health behaviour questionnaires and anthropological observation. Statistical analysis revealed that soil iron was significantly higher in Chiradzulu than in Chikwawa; total iron concentration is not deemed to be deficient in either area. Soil zinc was not significantly different between areas. Maize concentrations of iron and zinc were not significantly different between areas, and were not deficient relative to improved cultivars. Blood iron deficiency and associated anaemia were problematic in both areas, but more so in Chikwawa than in Chiradzulu, and zinc deficiency was similar in both areas. The study has identified a significant difference in the blood iron status of the participants of the two communities, and has shown that this difference is not accounted for by the staple crop maize. Socio-geographical factors appear to play a significant role in the micronutrient health of the populations. The findings lend support to multifaceted community intervention studies which educate communities on strategies to tackle micronutrient deficiencies.

Objectives: To examine the association between breastfeeding pattern and growth in the first year of life. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out on 349 mothers with infants <12 months in a rural and a semi-urban community in Mangochi district, Malawi. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, infant weight, length and feeding patterns since birth were collected. Multivariate linear regression was performed to test the association between feeding pattern and infant anthropometric status. Results: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) until 6 months was practised by 13.1% semi-urban and 1.3% rural mothers. No infant was exclusively breastfed beyond 6 months. Breastfeeding was continued among all infants who had stopped EBF. Among infants 6–12 months of age, duration of EBF during the first 6 months was positively associated with length-for-age Z -score (LAZ) (regression coefficient=0.19, 95% confidence interval: 0.06, 0.31) in a model adjusted for socio-demographic factors. Urban residence and female gender yielded positive associations in the same model. The model explained 27% of the variation in LAZ. Among infants <6 months, duration of EBF was not significantly associated with LAZ, but being female and urban residence yielded positive associations. Breastfeeding patterns were not associated with weight-for-age Z -score (WAZ) or weight-for-height Z -score (WLZ) either in the 0–6-month or in the 6–12-month group. Birth outside a health facility was negatively associated with WAZ and WLZ in the older group. Conclusion: EBF in the first 6 months of life was associated with increased linear growth, but not weight gain, in later infancy. Promotion of EBF could reduce the prevalence of chronic child undernutrition in the study area.

This study measured the effects of dietary supplementation with lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNSs) on 18-month-old children's physical activity. In a randomised, controlled, outcome-assessor blinded trial 1932 six-month-old children from Malawi received one of five interventions daily from 6–18 months of age: 10-g milk-LNS, 20-g milk-LNS, 20-g non-milk-LNS, 40-g milk-LNS or 40-g non-milk-LNS, or received no intervention in the same period (control). The control group received delayed intervention with corn–soy blend from 18–30 months. Physical activity was measured over 1 week by ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer at 18 months. Main outcome was mean vector magnitude accelerometer counts/15 s. Analyses were restricted to children with valid accelerometer data on at least 4 days with minimum 6 h of wearing time per day. Of the 1435 children recruited to this substudy, 1053 provided sufficient data for analysis. The mean (s.d.) vector magnitude accelerometer counts in the total sample were 307 (64). The difference (95% CI) in mean accelerometer counts, compared with the control group, was 8 (−6 to 21, P=0.258) in 10-g milk-LNS, 3 (−11 to 17, P=0.715) in 20-g milk-LNS, 5 (−8 to 19, P=0.445) in 20-g non-milk-LNS, 10 (−3 to 23, P=0.148) in 40-g milk-LNS and 2 (−12 to 16, P=0.760) in 40-g non-milk-LNS groups. Provision of 10–40 g doses of LNS daily for 12 months did not increase physical activity of Malawian toddlers.

Objectives To compare growth velocity of two African child cohorts and examine the relationship between postnatal growth velocity in infancy/early childhood and the risk of overweight/stunting in early adolescence. Methods The study used data from two child cohorts from urban (Birth to Twenty Cohort, South Africa) and rural (Lungwena Child Survival Study, Malawi) African settings. Mixed effect modelling was used to derive growth and peak growth velocities. T ‐tests were used to compare growth parameters and velocities between the two cohorts. Linear and logistic regression models were used to determine the relationship between growth velocity and early adolescent (ages 9–11 years) body mass index and odds of being overweight. Results Children in the BH cohort were significantly taller and heavier than those in the Lungwena cohort, and exhibited faster weight and height growth velocity especially in the first year of life ( P < 0.05). No significant association was shown between baseline weight ( α w ) and overweight in early adolescence (OR = 1.25, CI = 0.67, 2.34). The weight growth velocity parameter β w was highly associated with odds of being overweight. Association between overweight in adolescence and weight velocity was stronger in infancy than in early childhood (OR at 3 months = 4.80, CI = 2.49, 9.26; OR at 5 years = 2.39, CI = 1.65, 3.47). Conclusion High weight and height growth velocity in infancy, independent of size at birth, is highly associated with overweight in early adolescence. However, the long term effects of rapid growth in infancy may be dependent on a particular population's socio‐economic status and level of urbanization. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:643–651, 2014. © 2014 The Authors American Journal of Human Biology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Aim To test the feasibility and validity of the ActiGraph GT3X accelerometer in measuring physical activity of rural Malawian toddlers.Methods Fifty-six children aged 16.0-18.5months wore the accelerometer on their right hip for 7days. We analysed days with a minimum of 600min of wear time, excluding night time and periods when the unit registered zero for 20 consecutive minutes. The first and last days were excluded as they were incomplete. Accelerometer counts were compared with coded free play video recordings to define median accelerometer counts for sedentary, light, moderate and vigorous activity. Count cut points were defined for moderate to vigorous physical activity, with predictive validity assessed using a second set of video recordings.Results Median wear time was 797min/day, with 79% of participants completing at least four eligible days. Accelerometer counts were significantly higher for observed moderate to vigorous physical activity, than lighter activity, with cut points of 208 counts/15sec for vector magnitude and 35 counts/15sec for vertical axis, showing sensitivity of 94.2% and 84.1% and specificity of 90.9% and 84.6%, respectively.Conclusion The accelerometer proved a feasible and valid method of assessing physical activity among Malawian toddlers.