QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hop, L. T. Articles by Berger, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Hop, L. T. Articles by Berger, J.

---

International Research on Infant Supplementation: Randomized Controlled Trials of Micronutrient Supplementation During Infancy

Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation Improves Anemia, Micronutrient Nutrient Status, and Growth of Vietnamese Infants: Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial^1,2

National Institute of Nutrition, Hanoi, Vietnam, and ^* The Institute of Research for Development, Research Unit "Nutrition, Food, Societies," Montpellier, France

³To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: Hopnin{at}hn.vnn.vn.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed to assess the efficacy of different micronutrient supplementation regimes for improving micronutrient status, preventing anemia, and growth faltering of Vietnamese infants. A population-based sample of 306 infants aged 6–12 mo, split in 4 treatment groups, received daily multiple micronutrient (DMM), daily placebo (P), weekly multiple micronutrient (WMM), or daily iron (DI) supplements for 6 mo, 7 d/wk, under supervision. Weight and length were measured monthly, and anemia and plasma levels of ferritin, zinc, riboflavin, retinol, tocopherol, and homocysteine were determined before and after the supplementation. Z-scores for length-for-age and weight-for-age worsened significantly in all groups, but the length-for-age Z-score decreased significantly less in the DMM group (–0.32 ± 0.05) than in the P and WMM groups (–0.49 ± 0.05 and –0.51 ± 0.05, respectively, P = 0.001). Hemoglobin levels increased significantly more in the DMM group [mean (95%CI): 16.4 g/L (12.4–20.4)] than in the P group [8.6 g/L (5.0–12.2), P = 0.04), with intermediate nonsignificant increases in the WMM [15.0 g/L (11.5–18.5)] and the DI [12.9 g/L (8.4–17.3)] groups. Ferritin changes were significantly greater in DMM (12.1 µg/L) and DI (9.5 µg/L) than in P (–14.7 µg/L) and WMM groups (–9.7 µg/L). Of the other micronutrients, only tocopherol showed a significantly greater level in the DMM group compared with P. Anemia still affected a quarter and zinc deficiency affected a third of infants although there was no iron deficiency after 6 mo of supplementation with DMM, suggesting that multiple factors are causing anemia and that the dose of zinc is too small.

KEY WORDS: • multiple micronutrient • supplementation • anemia • Vietnam • infant growth

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Adu-Afarwuah, A. Lartey, K. H Brown, S. Zlotkin, A. Briend, and K. G Dewey Home fortification of complementary foods with micronutrient supplements is well accepted and has positive effects on infant iron status in Ghana Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, April 1, 2008; 87(4): 929 - 938. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Adu-Afarwuah, A. Lartey, K. H Brown, S. Zlotkin, A. Briend, and K. G Dewey Randomized comparison of 3 types of micronutrient supplements for home fortification of complementary foods in Ghana: effects on growth and motor development Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, August 1, 2007; 86(2): 412 - 420. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. T. Howard, S. de Pee, M. Sari, M. W. Bloem, and R. D. Semba Association of diarrhea with anemia among children under age five living in rural areas of Indonesia J Trop Pediatr, August 1, 2007; 53(4): 238 - 244. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. F. Walker, K. Kordas, R. J Stoltzfus, and R. E Black Interactive effects of iron and zinc on biochemical and functional outcomes in supplementation trials Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, July 1, 2005; 82(1): 5 - 12. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]