Effect of fortified Bovine colostrum on linear growth of children aged 9-36 months: a community-based three-arm randomized controlled trial in urban slums of Belagavi city, India.

Authors

Deshna Oswal, Mubashir Angolkar, N S Mahantashetti, Miguel San Sebastian, Mayank Singh, Shivani Haritay, Madan Godbole

Published in

The American journal of clinical nutrition. Pages 101429. Jul 06, 2026. Epub Jul 06, 2026.

Abstract

Children living in urban slums are at heightened risk of stunting due to poor diet quality, frequent infections, and adverse living conditions. Fortified Bovine Colostrum (FBC) with zinc, rich in immunomodulatory and bioactive compounds, offers a promising strategy to improve growth outcomes.
To evaluate the effect of FBC on linear growth of children aged 9-36 months in urban slums of Belagavi city, India.
A community-based, three-arm randomized controlled trial (March 2023-August 2024) was conducted in urban slums of Belagavi. Children (n = 362, mean age =21±8.7 months) were randomized to receive daily supplementation for three months with either FBC (microencapsulated bovine colostrum + zinc), Fortified Milk Powder (FMP; milk powder fortified with zinc and calcium, matched to FBC), or placebo (unfortified milk powder). Participants were followed at 3, 6 and 9 months. The primary outcome was change in Height/Length-for-age z-scores (HAZ/LAZ). Linear regression models including time × group interactions and cluster-robust standard errors were used to estimate between-group differences.
After 9 months mean HAZ/LAZ improved in both intervention arms compared to placebo. The adjusted difference in HAZ/LAZ relative to placebo was 0.32 (95% CI: 0.08,0.57) for FBC and 0.39 (95% CI: 0.14,0.64) for FMP. Within-group HAZ/LAZ improvements were significant from 3 months onward in both intervention arms, whereas the placebo group remained close to baseline. Direct comparisons between FBC and FMP showed no statistically significant differences in HAZ/LAZ at any follow-up time point.
Short-term supplementation with fortified bovine colostrum or fortified milk powder improved linear growth compared with placebo among young children living in urban slums of Belagavi.
Clinical Trials Registry- India: CTRI/2022/06/043002 - 03/06/2022 REGISTRATION ID: deshnaoswal; url: https://www.ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/pmaindet2.php?EncHid=Njc5OTI=&Enc=&userName=.

PMID:
42409313
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 07 Jul 2026.

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