A biscuit fortified with iron, iodine and B-carotene as a strategy to address micronutrient deficiencies in primary school children
type: CreativeWork
description: Deficiencies of vitamin A, iron, and iodine continue to be prevalent in developing countries worldwide and can, in addition to the classic consequences such as nutritional anaemia, goitre, cretinism, xerophthalmia and blindness caused by severe deficiencies, also affect the growth, development and immunity of young children. The various internationally acknowledged strategies for combating micronutrient deficiencies include high-dose supplementation, food fortification, dietary diversification and nutrition education. The aim of this research was to evaluate a micronutrient-fortified biscuit as a strategy to address micronutrient deficiencies in primary school children from a poor rural community. The research comprised three phases. During the first phase the effect of a biscuit fortified with iron, iodine, and B-carotene on the vitamin A, iron and iodine status of 115 children was evaluated and compared with 113 controls, in a randomised placebo-controlled trial. To enhance the absorption of iron a vitamin C-fortified cold drink was given together with the biscuit. Anthropometric status, cognitive function and morbidity were assessed as secondary outcomes. The 12-month intervention resulted in a significant improvement in serum retinol, serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, haemoglobin and urinary iodine excretion. Morbidity and cognitive function, particularly the cognitive function in the children presenting with low iron status and with goitre! at baseline, were also favourably affected. Linear growth was positively affected only in the children with marginal iron stores at baseline. During the second phase of this study the long-term effectiveness of the biscuit programme, in terms of elimination of micronutrient deficiencies, compliance, acceptability and sustainability, was evaluated in a longitudinal study over a period of 30 months. In addition, cross-sectional data on vitamin A and iron status from subsequent studies conducted in the same school at 33, …
abstract: Deficiencies of vitamin A, iron, and iodine continue to be prevalent in developing countries worldwide and can, in addition to the classic consequences such as nutritional anaemia, goitre, cretinism, xerophthalmia and blindness caused by severe deficiencies, also affect the growth, development and immunity of young children. The various internationally acknowledged strategies for combating micronutrient deficiencies include high-dose supplementation, food fortification, dietary diversification and nutrition education. The aim of this research was to evaluate a micronutrient-fortified biscuit as a strategy to address micronutrient deficiencies in primary school children from a poor rural community. The research comprised three phases. During the first phase the effect of a biscuit fortified with iron, iodine, and B-carotene on the vitamin A, iron and iodine status of 115 children was evaluated and compared with 113 controls, in a randomised placebo-controlled trial. To enhance the absorption of iron a vitamin C-fortified cold drink was given together with the biscuit. Anthropometric status, cognitive function and morbidity were assessed as secondary outcomes. The 12-month intervention resulted in a significant improvement in serum retinol, serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, haemoglobin and urinary iodine excretion. Morbidity and cognitive function, particularly the cognitive function in the children presenting with low iron status and with goitre! at baseline, were also favourably affected. Linear growth was positively affected only in the children with marginal iron stores at baseline. During the second phase of this study the long-term effectiveness of the biscuit programme, in terms of elimination of micronutrient deficiencies, compliance, acceptability and sustainability, was evaluated in a longitudinal study over a period of 30 months. In addition, cross-sectional data on vitamin A and iron status from subsequent studies conducted in the same school at 33, …
author: Van Stuijvenberg, Martha Elizabeth
keywords: Paediatrics
date published: 2001
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:23:02Z
provider: University of Cape Town
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Not Specified

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/38569