The nutritional status of individuals adopted internationally as children: A systematic review

3Citations
Citations of this article
81Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

Abstract

Since 1955, international adoption has been a way of finding homes for children who have been orphaned or abandoned. We aimed to describe the nutritional status of individuals adopted internationally and their long-term nutritional and health outcomes. We searched four databases for articles published from January 1995 to June 2020, which included information on anthropometric or micronutrient status of children adopted internationally (CAI). Mean Z-scores on arrival to adoptive country ranged from −2.04 to −0.31 for weight for age; −0.94 to 0.39 for weight for height; −0.7 to 0 for body mass index; −1.89 to −0.03 for height for age; −1.43 to 0.80 for head circumference for age. Older children, those adopted from institutionalized care or with underlying disability, were more likely to be malnourished. Though long-term data was scarce, mean Z-scores post-adoption ranged from −0.59 to 0.53 for weight for age; −0.31 to 1.04 for weight for height; 0.39 to 1.04 for body mass index; −1.09 to 0.58 for height for age; −0.06 to 1.23 for head circumference for age. We conclude that though CAI are at high risk of malnutrition at baseline, marked catch-up growth is possible, including for those older than two years of age on arrival. This has implications not only for CAI but for the wider population of malnourished children worldwide. Research on how to optimize catch-up growth is a priority.

References Powered by Scopus

Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The adverse childhood experiences (ACE) study

13368Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement

9606Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Genetic studies of body mass index yield new insights for obesity biology

3318Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Cited by Powered by Scopus

The Role of Immunobiotics and Postbiotics in the Recovery of Immune Cell Populations From Respiratory Mucosa of Malnourished Hosts: Effect on the Resistance Against Respiratory Infections

13Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Micronutrients and the evolution of the human brain

2Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Typology of Traumatic Experiences and their Relationship with Psychosocial Disorders and Adjustment among Adoptees

0Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Ivey, R., Kerac, M., Quiring, M., Dam, T. T. H., Doig, S., & Delacey, E. (2021, January 1). The nutritional status of individuals adopted internationally as children: A systematic review. Nutrients. MDPI AG. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13010245

Readers over time

‘21‘22‘23‘24‘2506121824

Readers' Seniority

Tooltip

PhD / Post grad / Masters / Doc 13

62%

Lecturer / Post doc 3

14%

Researcher 3

14%

Professor / Associate Prof. 2

10%

Readers' Discipline

Tooltip

Medicine and Dentistry 9

38%

Nursing and Health Professions 8

33%

Social Sciences 5

21%

Psychology 2

8%

Article Metrics

Tooltip
Mentions
Blog Mentions: 1
Social Media
Shares, Likes & Comments: 62

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free
0