Sensitivity analyses and meta-regression for hemoglobin suggested a higher response with lower trial quality ( suboptimal allocation concealment and blinding ) , use of condiments , and sodium iron edetate and a lower response when adults were included .
Consumption of iron-fortified foods results in an improvement in hemoglobin , serum ferritin , and iron nutriture and a reduced risk of remaining anemic and iron deficient
BACKGROUND The utility of iron fortification of food to improve iron deficiency , anemia , and biological outcomes is not proven unequivocally .
Changing the zinc:iron ratio in a cereal-based nutritional supplement has no effect on percent absorption of iron and zinc in Sri Lankan children.
The Thriposha programme is a community-level nutrition intervention in Sri Lanka that provides a combination of energy , protein and micronutrients as a ' ready-to-eat ' cereal-based food . We measured the bioavailability of Fe and Zn from Thriposha formula at two different molar ratios of Zn : Fe in order to determine the effect on Fe and Zn absorption . Children 4 - 7 years ( n 53 ) were given a meal prepared with 50 g Thriposha containing 1.5 mg Zn as zinc sulphate and either 9 mg ( high Fe concentration ( HiFe ) ) or 4.5 mg ( low Fe concentration ( LoFe ) ) Fe as ferrous fumarate .  Zn and Fe percent absorption were measured using stable isotopes by tracer : tracee ratio and by incorporation of erythrocytes , respectively . Percent Fe absorption from the two meals was similar ( 6.6 % ( 4.8 ) v. 4.8 % ( 2.6 ) ; P = 0.15 ) , but total Fe absorption was significantly higher from the HiFe meal ( 0.59 ( 0.43 ) mg ) than the LoFe meal ( 0.20 ( 0.12 ) mg ; P = 0.01 ) . There was no significant difference between the two groups in Zn absorption ( 10.7 % ( 0.9 ) v. 8.8 % ( 1.4 ) , P = 0.13 , respectively ) . Decreasing the amount of Fe in Thriposha did not cause a significant change in the percent absorption of Fe and Zn , but significantly lowered the total amount of absorbed Fe . These results demonstrate the utility of maintaining a higher Fe content in this supplement . Further studies to increase Zn content are warranted while maintaining a HiFe
Sensitivity analyses and meta-regression for hemoglobin suggested a higher response with lower trial quality ( suboptimal allocation concealment and blinding ) , use of condiments , and sodium iron edetate and a lower response when adults were included .
Consumption of iron-fortified foods results in an improvement in hemoglobin , serum ferritin , and iron nutriture and a reduced risk of remaining anemic and iron deficient
BACKGROUND The utility of iron fortification of food to improve iron deficiency , anemia , and biological outcomes is not proven unequivocally .