Iron food supplement.

OBJECTIVE

To develop an iron rich supplement with locally available foods and to test its feasibility in school going children (7-9 Years) belonging to low income families.

METHODS

From the upper primary school in Rajendranagar 7-9 year-old children were screened for hemoglobin (Hb) levels and 36 children having Hb levels below 11 g/dl were selected. Based on their Hb levels, age, and gender, 24 children were grouped as experimental and the rest as control. A supplement food (laddoo) was developed using locally available foods like jaggery, processed rice flakes, graden cress seeds and amaranth seeds (45:40:10.5). In the experimental group, children were given one laddoo per day for a period of 60 days. Effect of supplement on Hb levels, height and weight was assessed.

RESULT

Anthropometric parameters showed that 97% of these children were undernourished, majority (50%) were in grade II malnutrition followed by grade (25%) and grade II (22%). A significant increase in Hb levels was observed in both the boys and girls after 30 days of supplementation only. The increase was comparatively more in the first 30 days than the second 30 days. The overall increase in Hb levels was more in 7-8 years than the 8-9 years age group. In majority of the subjects progression from one Hb level to the next higher level was observed. There was no significant improvement in their height and weight.

CONCLUSION

The product developed contributed around 39-mg% iron. Thus its efficacy as an iron rich supplement in combating iron deficiency anemia is reflected in the results obtained.