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 .
Leaf concentrate as an alternative to iron and folic acid supplements for anaemic adolescent girls: a randomised controlled trial in India.
OBJECTIVE Despite public health campaigns based on Fe and folic acid supplements , Fe-deficiency anaemia remains highly prevalent among women in India . We investigated leaf concentrate as an alternative to Fe and folic acid supplements for treating  anaemia in adolescent girls . DESIGN R and omised controlled two-arm trial over 3 months : one group received daily Fe and folic acid ( IFA ; 60 mg Fe , 500 microg folic acid ) ; the other daily leaf concentrate ( LC ; 5 mg Fe , 13 microg folic acid ) . Hb concentration , mean cell volume , serum Fe , serum ferritin and total Fe-binding capacity were measured pre- and post-intervention . SETTING Jaipur , India . SUBJECTS One hundred and two adolescent girls aged 14 - 18 years . RESULTS Of the 102 girls r and omized to the two arms of the trial , four ( 3.9 % ) were severely anaemic  ( Hb < 7 g/dl ) , twenty-eight ( 27.5 % ) were moderately anaemic ( Hb > or = 7 g/dl , < 10 g/dl ) and seventy ( 68.6 % ) were mildly anaemic ( Hb > or = 10 g/dl , < 12 g/dl ) . In the IFA group , eleven girls ( 20.4 % ) withdrew due to side-effects , compared with one girl ( 2.1 % ) in the LC group ( P = 0.005 ) . Total losses to follow-up were 14/54 in the IFA group and 2/48 in the LC group . At the end of the trial , none of the eighty-six remaining girls were severely anaemic , nine ( 10.5 % ) were moderately anaemic and twenty-six ( 30.2 % ) were mildly anaemic ; fifty-one ( 59.3 % ) had normal Hb levels ( > or = 12 g/dl ) . After adjustment for baseline values , LC was as effective as IFA in improving serum Fe parameters and treating anaemia . CONCLUSIONS Leaf concentrate is an effective , and more palatable , alternative to Fe and folic acid supplements for treating anaemia in adolescent girls
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 .