NCT05120427: ZamCharts

The Impact of Growth Charts and Nutritional Supplements on Child Growth in Zambia

Completed NA Last updated 11 December 2023

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Lipid based nutrient Supplements (LNS): in Stunting in 2,291 participants. Completed in 30 September 2023.

Timeline

1 September 2020

Primary endpoint
30 September 2023

30 September 2023

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	Swiss Tropical & Public Health Institute
Phase	NA
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	double
Primary purpose	prevention
Enrollment	2,291
Start date	1 September 2020
Primary completion	30 September 2023
Estimated completion	30 September 2023
Sites	1 location across Switzerland

Drugs / interventions tested

• Lipid based nutrient Supplements (LNS):
• Growth Charts

Conditions studied

• Stunting — all drugs for Stunting →

Sponsor

Swiss Tropical & Public Health Institute

Who can join

Adults 6 Months to 12 Months, any sex, with Stunting. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

According to the latest estimates, 144 million children under age five experience growth faltering. Early life growth faltering or stunting is predictive of a wide array of negative long-term outcomes, including reduced adult height and productivity, diminished health and reduced lifetime incomes.

This study builds on a previous pilot study, which suggests that providing parents with tools to measure children's growth at home may be an effective way to prevent early life growth faltering. The objectives of this study are to assess 1) the impact of growth charts on early childhood linear growth; and 2) whether the impact of growth charts can be increased with the provision of food supplements to parents.

Publications & conference data

7 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. The impact of growth monitoring and promotion on health indicators in children under five years of age in low- and middle-income countries.
   Taylor M, Tapkigen J, Ali I, Liu Q, et al · · 2023 · cited 27× · PMID 37823471 · DOI 10.1002/14651858.cd014785.pub2
2. Markers of Environmental Enteric Dysfunction are Associated with Poor Growth and Developmental Outcomes among Young Children in Lusaka, Zambia.
   Lauer JM, Pyykkö J, Chembe M, Billima-Mulenga T, et al · · 2025 · cited 4× · PMID 39551093 · DOI 10.1016/j.jpeds.2024.114408
3. Feasibility of caregiver-administered anthropometric measurements of children under age 5: evidence from Zambia.
   Fink G, Chembe M, Henderson S, Rockers PC, et al · · 2024 · cited 2× · PMID 38297266 · DOI 10.1186/s12963-024-00322-4
4. Early Emerging Gradients in Children's Eye Movement Times Across Levels of Household Resources.
   Leppänen JM, Pyykkö J, Evans D, Coetzee L, et al · · 2025 · cited 1× · PMID 40798850 · DOI 10.1111/desc.70058
5. Predictors of saccadic reaction time among young children in Lusaka, Zambia.
   Lauer JM, Pyykkö J, Consigli A, Chembe M, et al · · 2026 · PMID 41886497 · DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0339819
6. Breastfeeding, the Gut Microbiome, and Growth among Infants in Lusaka, Zambia.
   Lauer JM, Odom AR, Rani A, Story G, et al · · 2025 · PMID 41138757 · DOI 10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.10.026
7. Study Protocol: The Impact of Growth Charts and Nutritional Supplements on Child Growth in Zambia (ZamCharts): A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
   Fink G, Lauer JM, Locks L, Chembe M, et al · · 2023 · DOI 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2816403/v1