Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol 15, Issue 4 383-388, Copyright © 1996 by American College of Nutrition

CLINICAL TRIAL

Effect of rice cereal feedings on bone mineralization and calcium homeostasis in cow milk formula fed infants

R. R. Bainbridge, F. B. Mimouni, T. Landi, M. Crossman, L. Harris and R. C. Tsang
Department of Pediatrics, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York 11219, USA.

OBJECTIVE: We conducted a prospective randomized, single-blinded clinical trial to test the hypothesis that intake of formula plus cereals between the ages of 16 and 26 weeks postnatally (as compared to formula alone) would lead to lower bone mineral content (BMC), higher parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentration, lower serum calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and osteocalcin (OC); and increased continuous night sleep. METHODS: At 16 weeks postnatally, 41 healthy, term infants were randomized to formula alone or formula and cereal. RESULTS: We found no significant differences in growth or sleep pattern, nor in BMC between groups. Serum PTH concentration was significantly increased in the cereal group at 26 weeks. CONCLUSION: We speculate that the increase in PTH is due to relative Ca deficiency or is responsive to increased phosphate load in the cereal group.

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