Open AccessAdding multiple micronutrient powders to a homestead food production programme yields marginally significant benefit on anaemia reduction among young children in N epal
Author(s) -
Osei Akoto K.,
Pandey Pooja,
Spiro David,
Adhikari Debendra,
Haselow Nancy,
De Morais Caroline,
Davis Dale
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
maternal and child nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1740-8709
pISSN - 1740-8695
DOI - 10.1111/mcn.12173
Subject(s) - micronutrient , medicine , anthropometry , zoology , dietary iron , odds ratio , micronutrient deficiency , iron deficiency , food science , anemia , biology , pathology
Anaemia affects 46% of preschool‐aged children in N epal. A cluster‐randomised study was conducted in rural N epal to test whether providing micronutrient powders ( MNP ) in addition to enhanced homestead food production ( EHFP ) programme, consisting of home gardens, poultry and nutrition education, could lead to a higher reduction in anaemia compared with providing only EHFP . This sub‐study enrolled 335 children aged 6–9 months into one of three groups: (1) EHFP + MNP ; (2) EHFP ; or (3) control. The EHFP + MNP group received 60 sachets of MNP for flexible consumption at the start and 6 months later for a total supplementation period of 11 months. The MNP contained 15 micronutrients including iron (10 mg encapsulated ferrous fumarate). Haemoglobin and anthropometry were measured at baseline and post‐ MNP supplementation. Mean ± SE haemoglobin concentration increased significantly in all groups, with a slightly higher but non‐significant increase in the EHFP + MNP and EHFP compared with control (difference‐in‐differences: 4.1 g L −1 for EHFP + MNP vs. control; 3.6 g L −1 for EHFP vs. control; 0.5 g L −1 for EHFP + MNP vs. EHFP ). Anaemia decreased at a slightly higher magnitude in the EHFP + MNP [51.5 percentage points ( PP )] than the EHFP (48.6 PP ) and control (39.6 PP ), with adjusted odds ratios (95% CI ) at post‐supplementation of 0.52 (0.25–1.12) for EHFP + MNP and 0.69 (0.35–1.36) for EHFP , compared with control. There was no impact on child growth. Combining EHFP and MNP programmes yielded a marginally significant reduction in anaemia among children.