Point-of-use fortification of foods with micronutrient powders containing iron gives a small increase in haemoglobin concentration in preschool children

Objectives:
In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended point-of-use fortification of complementary foods with iron-containing micronutrient powders to improve iron status and reduce anaemia in children at risk of anaemia. This recommendation continues to be debated. Therefore, this review article (meta-analysis) has been conducted.

Does point-of-use fortification of foods with iron-containing micronutrient powders reduce anaemia in children at risk of anaemia?

Study design:
This review article included trials.

Results and conclusions:
The investigators found in an arbitrarily selected setting and with adherence as obtained under trial conditions, a small increase in haemoglobin concentration in preschool children with point-of-use fortification of foods with iron-containing micronutrient powders, by only 3.9 g/L, with the upper limit of the 95% CI virtually excluding an effect beyond 5.5 g/L. However, the attenuated effect that is likely to be achieved under real-world conditions is even lower.

The investigators found point-of-use fortification with NaFeEDTA improved geometric mean plasma ferritin concentrations by only 4 μg/L [95% CI = 29.7 to 33.7 μg/L].

The investigators concluded point-of-use fortification of foods with micronutrient powders containing iron gives only a small increase in haemoglobin concentration in preschool children. However, attention should be given to the phenomenon that small group differences in the distribution of continuous outcomes (haemoglobin concentration, ferritin concentrations) can give a false impression of relatively large effects on the prevalence of the dichotomised outcomes (anaemia, iron deficiency).

Original title:
Micronutrient powders to combat anaemia in young children: do they work? by Verhoef H, Teshome E and Prentice AM.

Link:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5776757/

Additional information of El Mondo:
Find more information/studies on food fortification/malnutrition, study design/meta-analysis/significant and iron right here.