The Influence of Growth Milk Consumption on Nutritional Status, Illness Incidence and Cognitive Function in Children Aged 2–5 Years

Background: Adequate nutrition in early childhood is crucial for growth and development. Picky eating behaviors are common and contribute to undernutrition. Growth milk, a fortified milk product, has been suggested to address nutritional gaps, but its effectiveness remains uncertain. Methods: This clustered randomized controlled trial aimed to assess the effects of growth milk on nutritional status, immune resilience, appetite, and cognitive function of children aged 2-5 years in Kampung Melayu, East Jakarta. The intervention lasted three months, with 49 participants from two clusters randomly assigned to either the growth milk group or the control group, which received only nutritional education. Nutritional status was assessed monthly. Illness incidence, visual analog scale (VAS) for appetite, Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) for food fussiness, and Brigance for cognitive function were assessed at baseline and endline. Results: Children in the intervention group showed significant improvements in weight (0.41 kg), height (1.93 cm), and head circumference (0.81 cm) (p < 0.001). Z-scores for height-for-age from -1.65 to -1.58 and BMI also increased, suggesting positive effects on growth. The intervention group showed notable physical growth, but no significant differences were observed between groups in illness incidence, appetite, food fussiness, or cognitive function. Both groups had similar levels of appetite and reported similar cognitive development outcomes, with language scores slightly declining for both groups. Conclusions: Growth milk supplementation resulted in improved growth parameters, but its impact on overall health and cognitive development was minimal. Longer studies and the inclusion of younger children may provide a better understanding of its broader benefits.