Effectiveness of oral nutritional supplements and nutrition education for improving growth among underweight preschool children in Kuala Lumpur

the effectiveness of oral nutritional supplementation combined with nutrition education on growth indicators and nutrient intake among underweight preschoolers aged 4–6 years in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: a community-based controlled intervention study

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN15093638

Enrollment

Registered

2026-03-18

Start date

2025-04-01

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2026-03-30

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Childhood undernutrition, specifically underweight among preschool children Nutritional, Metabolic, Endocrine

Interventions

This study is a two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial conducted among underweight preschool children aged 4–6 years attending selected Tabika Kemajuan Masyarakat (KEMAS) preschool centres in Kua

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

40 Months to 79 Months

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. Preschool children aged 4–6 years (date of birth between January 2019 and December 2021) 2. Enrolled in selected Tabika Kemajuan Masyarakat (KEMAS) preschool centres in Kuala Lumpur 3. Malaysian citizens 4. Classified as underweight according to WHO child growth standards based on anthropometric indicators (e.g., weight-for-age z-score < -2 SD) 5. Parent or legal guardian able to understand and communicate in Malay or English 6. Written informed consent obtained from parent or guardian prior to participation

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. Children diagnosed with congenital abnormalities 2. Children with developmental or neurological disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Down syndrome, or impaired brain development 3. Children with severe medical or chronic conditions that may affect growth, feeding ability, or nutritional status 4. Children who are currently receiving specialised medical nutrition therapy or therapeutic feeding programmes for the last 6 months 5. Children who are intolerance towards milk or milk product and any of ingredients listed in the product 6. Children whose parents or guardians do not provide informed consent for participation in the study

Countries

Malaysia

Contacts

Public ContactZahara;Abdul Hakim Abdul Manaf;Abdul Wahid

;

zaharamanaf@ukm.edu.my;p154146@siswa.ukm.edu.my+60 (0)19276 4541;+60 (0)1123450674

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Apr 4, 2026