Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Appropriate utilisation of home fortificants such as small-quantity lipid-based nutrition supplements (SQ-LNS) requires providing clear and acceptable instructions of use for the target audience. We conducted formative research to identify locally available foods that could be recommended to mix with unsweetened SQ-LNS in Mexico. METHODS: Thirteen caregivers of 7 to 23 month-old children participated in a SQ-LNS tasting session and guided group discussion at a hospital in a semi-urban area in Morelos, Mexico. After sampling the SQ-LNS, caregivers were asked to select 1 or more of the 9 common complementary foods available to mix with 1 sachet of SQ-LNS (20 g). The common complementary foods available, identified from previous research, were: cooked rice, mashed beans, plain yogurt, strawberry-flavoured yogurt, the sweetened dairy snack Danonino, two types of commercial baby food (carrot and pear), banana, and oatmeal. Caregivers tasted and rated the organoleptic properties of SQ-LNS mixed with each of the foods. Subsequently, we conducted a home feeding session in which caregivers selected 1 of the top 4 foods preferred during the tasting session to mix with SQ-LNS (n = 8). RESULTS: The preferred foods for mixing SQ-LNS in the tasting session were mashed beans (n = 5), cooked rice (n = 2), Danonino (n = 2) and unsweetened yogurt (n = 2). Caregivers preferred these foods because they were considered better in masking the taste of the supplement. During the home feeding session, half of the caregivers selected Danonino to mix with SQ-LNS, and none selected unsweetened yogurt. Some caregivers considered that varying the type of foods used to mix with SQ-LNS could be a useful strategy to improve acceptance and adherence to daily supplementation. CONCLUSIONS: Providing multiple examples of locally available and acceptable complementary foods to mix with SQ-LNS might be necessary to promote daily supplement use in the study context. Formative research is useful for developing recommendations for SQ-LNS use that take into account the customs and preferences of the target population. FUNDING SOURCES: The study was funded by the Government of Canada, as part of the Business Platform for Nutrition Research hosted by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition.