VIETNAMESE PARENTS' SATISFACTION WITH GROWTH AND HEALTH OUTCOMES WHEN PROVIDING NUTRITIONAL BEVERAGES TO CHILDREN AT RISK OF UNDERNUTRITION

Back Ground: Good nutrition is key to achieve optimal growth and health for children, yet pediatric undernutrition persists worldwide, including in Vietnam. When Vietnamese parents have concerns about their child’s growth, they commonly choose to supplement the child’s diet with a nutritional beverage. Results of numerous clinical studies have shown that feeding a specialized energy- and nutrient-dense pediatric nutritional supplement (PNS) can promote growth and other healthful outcomes in undernourished children. Objective: In this real-world study in Vietnam, we sought parents’ perspectives on their child’s growth and health outcomes when nutritional beverage products were given to supplement the diet and counter the risk of undernutrition. Methods: This was a cross-sectional studyinvolving1200 Vietnamese children who were reported by their parents to be at-risk of undernutrition and who were supplemented with nutritional beverages (PNS[n=600] or other liquid nutritional products [n=600]). Results: Findings helped us understand parents’ perspectives on using nutritional supplements for a child perceived to be at risk of undernutrition. Among parents who gave their children this specialized PNS, approximately 90% were “satisfied” or “agreed” that it helped promote their child’s growth and other nutrition-related health outcomes. Specifically, on study questions regarding their child’s growth, immunity, physical activity, and eating behaviors, parents who fed itwere1.2 to 1.5 times as likely to give a rating of “very satisfied” or “strongly agree” than were parents who fed other liquid nutritional products; such differences were statistically significant (P