Division of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa.
PLoS One. 2024 Apr 18;19(4):e0300845. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300845. eCollection 2024.
Cucurbita moschata (Butternut squash) seeds are a rich source of nutrition containing nutrients including iron, zinc, copper, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus. The aim of this study was to determine if Cucurbita Moschata squash seed paste improves zinc and iron status, anthropometric status, and dietary intake in preschool children. A pretest-posttest control group trial using cluster randomisation was conducted over 6 months. Four preschools were randomly assigned to receive 100 g of intervention or 100 g of a placebo as the control to enhance iron and zinc status. A total of 276 preschool children were recruited from eight government registered Early Childhood Development centres in Limpopo province, South Africa. The control group consumed Cucurbita moschata flesh twice-weekly, while the intervention group consumed Cucurbita moschata seed paste twice-weekly during a six-month period. Iron (serum iron, transferrin, transferrin saturation, ferritin) and zinc (serum zinc) status and anthropometric indices such as weight, height and mid upper arm circumference for children were evaluated at baseline and the endpoint. Iron and zinc-rich food consumption was measured using a 24-hour dietary recall and food record during the study, and dietary intake was estimated using a food frequency questionnaire which was conducted at the beginning and endpoint. The intervention group significantly improved in the mean serum iron 0.23 μg/dL (95% CI: 0.11;0.33); ferritin 0.21μg/dL (95% CI: 0.13;0.39), transferrin saturation 0.33% (0.23;0.74) and zinc 0.16 μmol/dl (95% CI: 0.13;0.25) at the end of the study. In addition, the intervention group exhibited greater mean weight for age of 0.13 z-score (95% CI: 0.28; 0.34) and weight for height of 0.04 z-score (95% CI: 0.12,0.05), as well as the consumption of iron (p < 0,001), zinc (p < 0,001), and vitamin C (p < 0.001). At the end of the trial, fiber (p < 0.001), riboflavin (p = 0.001), vitamin B6 (p < 0.001), and vitamin B12 (p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the control group. Thus, the inclusion of intervention in the diet of children in an impoverished area of South Africa improved the iron and zinc status of these children. This supplement could be a cost effective and sustainable approach to improve nutrient status in rural South Africa. Trial registration: Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (PACTR202308740458863).
贝贝南瓜籽是一种营养丰富的食物，富含铁、锌、铜、钙、钾和磷等营养物质。本研究旨在探讨贝贝南瓜籽泥是否能改善学龄前儿童的锌和铁营养状况、人体测量指标和膳食摄入量。采用整群随机对照试验，进行了 6 个月的预试验-后试验。将 4 所幼儿园随机分为干预组（摄入 100 克干预物）和对照组（摄入 100 克安慰剂），以增强铁和锌的营养状况。共招募了 276 名来自南非林波波省 8 家政府注册的早期儿童发展中心的学龄前儿童。对照组每周食用两次贝贝南瓜果肉，干预组在 6 个月期间每周食用两次贝贝南瓜籽泥。在基线和终点时，评估儿童的铁（血清铁、转铁蛋白、转铁蛋白饱和度、铁蛋白）和锌（血清锌）状况以及人体测量指标，如体重、身高和上臂中部周长。在研究期间，使用 24 小时膳食回忆和食物记录来测量富含铁和锌的食物摄入量，并在研究开始和终点时使用食物频率问卷来估计膳食摄入量。干预组的血清铁平均增加 0.23μg/dL（95%CI：0.11；0.33）；铁蛋白增加 0.21μg/dL（95%CI：0.13；0.39），转铁蛋白饱和度增加 0.33%（0.23；0.74），锌增加 0.16μmol/dl（95%CI：0.13；0.25）。此外，干预组的年龄别体重平均增加 0.13 个 Z 评分（95%CI：0.28；0.34），身高别体重平均增加 0.04 个 Z 评分（95%CI：0.12，0.05），以及铁（p < 0.001）、锌（p < 0.001）和维生素 C（p < 0.001）的摄入量也有所增加。在试验结束时，对照组的纤维（p < 0.001）、核黄素（p = 0.001）、维生素 B6（p < 0.001）和维生素 B12（p < 0.001）明显增加。因此，在南非贫困地区的儿童饮食中加入干预措施，改善了这些儿童的铁和锌营养状况。这种补充剂可能是一种具有成本效益和可持续的方法，可改善南非农村地区的营养状况。试验注册：泛非临床研究注册中心（PACTR202308740458863）。
