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VO 2 max improves in Indian school children after a feeding trail with iron biofortified pearl millet
Author(s) -
Pompano Laura M.,
Przybyszewski Eric M.,
Udipi Shobha A.,
Ghugre Padmini,
Haas Jere D.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.845.28
Subject(s) - pearl , iron deficiency , zoology , medicine , randomized controlled trial , soluble transferrin receptor , iron status , biology , anemia , geography , archaeology
Objective To examine the effects of an iron biofortified pearl millet intervention on physical performance in children, measured by VO 2 max. Methods 135 children (11–18 y) were enrolled in a randomized trial of an iron biofortified pearl millet intervention (vs. control pearl millet), daily for a 6 month period in India. VO 2 max at baseline and end line was calculated from oxygen consumption and heart rate during a sub‐maximal exercise test on a cycle ergometer. General linear models were used to evaluate the effect of the intervention on VO 2 max in children. Results At baseline 32% of subjects were iron deficient with serum transferrin receptor (sTfR) values above 8.0 mg/L. The average VO 2 max at baseline was 36.9 mL/kg/min for girls. After six months, there was a significant relationship between decreasing sTfR (improved iron status) and increased VO 2 max in the iron biofortified pearl millet group, but not in control group (P<0.01 and P=0.10, respectively). Conclusions Supplementation with iron biofortified pearl millet significantly improved VO 2 max in children. Grant Funding Source : HarvestPlus