Iron Status, Malnutrition, Vitamin A Status, Zinc Status
Conditions
Brief summary
The combination of poverty-related infectious and lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases, both driven by malnutrition, causes a high burden for South Africa. Healthy and nutritious diets for populations depend on availability and accessibility of a variety of plant and animal foods, within a context that promotes and supports healthy behaviour. Food based strategies, such as supplementation, food fortification, and diversification of crops, are used to achieve optimal dietary requirements to combat malnutrition, including micronutrient deficiencies. A more sustainable food based strategy is the (promotion of) use of indigenous and traditional foods, such as African Leafy Vegetables (ALVs). Unfortunately, several studies from all over Africa have shown that there is a shift from traditional diets as result of the preparing techniques and the absence of women in homes. Furthermore, indigenous and traditional foods are considered as poor people's food. Against this background, a joint project between South Africa, Kenya and Benin is designed to fill the gaps in knowledge in these countries regarding the availability, acceptability and consumption and evidenced based benefits of foods from local biodiversity. The main aim of the study in South Africa is to provide empirical evidence of how the role of biodiversity can be translated into improved health status in contemporary poor rural and urban communities in the North West Province of South Africa. In order to achieve this it is important to gain knowledge on the possibility of using ALVs as a strategy to alleviate micronutrient deficiencies. Therefore an intervention study to determine the effect of selected ALV on the nutritional status (including zinc, iron, and vitamin A status) of school children (grade R-4) residing in contemporary poor rural community in the North West Province, South Africa has been designed.
Interventions
OTHERALV
Random allocation of children of two rural farm schools per grade to receive either 300 gram cooked ALVs and school meal starch or the normal school meal as daily meal (5 days/weeks) for 3 months.
Sponsors
Medical Research Council, South Africa
Agricultural Research Council of South Africa
Sight and Life
Program to Support Pro-poor Policy Development (PSPPD)
National Research Foundation of South Africa
North-West University, South Africa
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
6 Years to 12 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* apparently healthy and had no signs and symptoms of acute illness at the time of baseline blood collection * attending grade R - 4 of one of the selected schools
Exclusion criteria
* Children with a haemoglobin concentration \<8 g/dL were excluded from the study and referred for medical treatment. * Children who received micronutrient supplements were also excluded from the study.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Change in nutritional status of school children (nutritional status measured by: blood haemoglobin, serum ferritin, serum zinc and serum retinol) | three months |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Change in nutritional status of school children (nutritional status measured by: height-for-age z-score, weight-for-age z-score and BMI-for-age z-score) | three months |
Countries
South Africa
Outcome results
None listed