School of Nutrition, Food Science and Technology, Hawassa University, Hawassa P.O. Box 5, Ethiopia.
School of Public Health, Hawassa University, Hawassa P.O. Box 5, Ethiopia.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Apr 5;20(7):5406. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20075406.
Cereal-based diets contribute to anemia in Ethiopian children. Eggs have nutrients to boost hemoglobin levels as well as counter concurrent anemia and stunting (CAS) and morbidity status. A community trial, targeting 6-18 months old children, was conducted in Halaba. Two clusters were randomly selected and allocated to intervention (N = 122) and control (N = 121) arms. Intervention group (IG) children received egg-laying hens with caging in a cultural ceremony declaring child ownership of the chickens. Parents promised to feed eggs to the child. Health and agriculture extension workers promoted egg feeding, poultry husbandry, and sanitation to IG families. Control group (CG) had standard health and agriculture education. At baseline, groups were not different by hemoglobin, anemia, CAS, and morbidity status. Mean hemoglobin was 11.0 mg/dl and anemia prevalence was 41.6%. About 11.9% of children had CAS and 52.3% were sick. Using generalized estimating equations, the intervention increased hemoglobin by 0.53 g/dl (ß:0.53; < 0.001; 95%CI: 0.28-0.79). IG children were 64% ( < 0.001; odds ratio [OR]:0.36; 95%CI: 0.24-0.54) and 57% ( = 0.007; OR: 0.43; 95%CI: 0.21-0.73) less likely to be anemic and have CAS, respectively, than CG, with no difference in morbidity. Child-owned poultry intervention is recommended in settings where anemia is high and animal-source food intake is low.
谷物类饮食导致埃塞俄比亚儿童贫血。鸡蛋含有营养物质，可以提高血红蛋白水平，同时对抗并发贫血和发育迟缓（CAS）和发病状态。在哈拉巴进行了一项针对 6-18 个月大儿童的社区试验。随机选择了两个集群，并将它们分配到干预组（N=122）和对照组（N=121）。干预组（IG）的儿童在文化仪式上获得了产蛋母鸡，并将其关在笼子里，宣布孩子拥有这些鸡。父母承诺给孩子喂食鸡蛋。卫生和农业推广人员向 IG 家庭推广鸡蛋喂养、家禽养殖和卫生。对照组（CG）接受了标准的卫生和农业教育。在基线时，两组在血红蛋白、贫血、CAS 和发病状况方面没有差异。平均血红蛋白为 11.0 毫克/分升，贫血患病率为 41.6%。约 11.9%的儿童患有 CAS，52.3%的儿童患病。使用广义估计方程，干预使血红蛋白增加了 0.53 克/分升（β：0.53；<0.001；95%CI：0.28-0.79）。IG 儿童患贫血和 CAS 的可能性分别降低了 64%（<0.001；比值比 [OR]：0.36；95%CI：0.24-0.54）和 57%（=0.007；OR：0.43；95%CI：0.21-0.73），而发病率没有差异。在贫血发生率高且动物源性食物摄入量低的情况下，建议采用儿童自有家禽干预措施。
