biostudies-literatureKumar VWorld Health OrganizationBill and Melinda Gates Foundation1092-1104https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8970981biostudies-literatureUnknown115(4)<h4>Background</h4>Newborn oil massage is a widespread practice. Vigorous massage with potentially harmful products and forced removal of vernix may disrupt skin barrier integrity. Hospitalized, very-preterm infants treated with sunflower seed oil (SSO) have demonstrated improved growth but community-based data on growth and health outcomes are lacking.<h4>Objectives</h4>We aimed to test whether SSO therapy enhances neonatal growth and reduces morbidity at the population level.<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted an open-label, controlled trial in rural Uttar Pradesh, India, randomly allocating 276 village clusters equally to comparison (usual care) and intervention comprised of promotion of improved massage practices exclusively with SSO, using intention-to-treat and per-protocol mixed-effects reThe American journal of clinical nutritionEffects of emollient therapy with sunflower seed oil on neonatal growth and morbidity in Uttar Pradesh, India: a cluster-randomized, open-label, controlled trial.PMC8970981007723Blanks KJHKumar VTian LLimcaoco MElias PMKan PMishra SMehrotra HDarmstadt GLGhosh AKShivgarh Emollient Research GroupAshraf SBaiocchi MSahu AKrishna RSingh PPatil PSingh SYadav RKumar AStevenson DKSingh VfalseEffects of emollient therapy with sunflower seed oil on neonatal growth and morbidity in Uttar Pradesh, India: a cluster-randomized, open-label, controlled trial.<h4>Background</h4>Newborn oil massage is a widespread practice. Vigorous massage with potentially harmful products and forced removal of vernix may disrupt skin barrier integrity. Hospitalized, very-preterm infants treated with sunflower seed oil (SSO) have demonstrated improved growth but community-based data on growth and health outcomes are lacking.<h4>Objectives</h4>We aimed to test whether SSO therapy enhances neonatal growth and reduces morbidity at the population level.<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted an open-label, controlled trial in rural Uttar Pradesh, India, randomly allocating 276 village clusters equally to comparison (usual care) and intervention comprised of promotion of improved massage practices exclusively with SSO, using intention-to-treat and per-protocol mixed-effects re2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Apr2026-05-31T06:04:16.851Z2025-02-19T01:55:22.293ZS-EPMC89709813498282010.1093/ajcn/nqab430