An effective intervention to reduce the prevalence of anaemia in children

Extract: The efficacy of iron-folic acid supplements delivered through balwadis and schools along with the school meal, in combating anaemia in school going children (4-8 years) was assessed in two studies. Further, dietary and nutrient intake and parasitic status were determined on a subsample in study I and the availability of dietary iron was assessed by an in vitro method in study II. The prevalence of anaemia, using the WHO criteria, was found to be 73 per cent in the younger children (4-6 years) and 93 per cent in the older ones (6-8 years). In study I, 20 mg elemental iron and 0.1 mg folic acid delivered daily at the school, for a period of 60 days in the second school term, along with the school meal, under careful supervision, led to a significant improvement in haemoglobin (Hb). A significant impact of the supplements was observed even 3 months after the withdrawal of supplements. The diet of the children was inadequate in energy and also deficient in iron, ascorbic acid and vitamin A. The common intestinal parasites found were E. histolytica and G. lamblia. Hookworms were rare. Neither the initial haemoglobin (Hb) nor the post-intervention Hb of parasite-infested children was any different from that of children not infested with parasites. In study II, 20 mg elemental iron and 0.1 mg folic acid given daily for 60 days, twice in a school year under the supervision of the teachers, led to a similiar impact on the Hb as that observed in study I. The in vitro availability of dietary iron was significantly lower for anaemic children as compared to the non-anaemic ones. These studies thus demonstrated that iron folic acid supplements given for a period of 60 days twice in a school year, utilizing the services of teachers can be an effective strategy to combat anaemia in young children; and that dietary deficiency of iron and low availability of iron are more important than parasitic infestations in the pathogenesis of anaemia in these children. (author) ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||