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 .
Milk Fortif Ed with Iron Or Iron Supplementation to Improve Nutritional Status of Pregnant Women: An Intervention Trial from Rural Vietnam
Anemia is still the major nutritional problem among pregnant women in Southeast Asia . The objective of this study was to measure hemoglobin status and reduction of underweight in a group of pregnant women who received iron-fortified or nonfortified milk  , and another group who received iron supplements ( tablets ) or placebo . The 44 women in the iron-fortified milk group received 15 mg of iron per day per 400 ml of milk , and 41 women received placebo . The 40 women in the iron supplement group received 60 mg of iron per day , and 43 women received nonfortified milk . During this intervention trial , all women were supervised from the 14th to the 18th week of gestation until delivery . Blood was sample d at 0 , 5 , 10 , and 16 weeks of intervention . After the 16th week of intervention , the changes in hemoglobin ( ΔHb ) concentrations in both treatment groups ( the iron-fortified milk and the iron tablet groups ) were not significantly different ( ΔHb : −0.5 ± 0.9 and −0.3 ± 0.9 g/L , respectively ) , but the changes were significantly greater in the nonfortified milk and placebo groups ( ΔHb : −1.2 ± 0.9 and −1.1 ± 0.8 g/L , respectively ; p < .01 ) . The change in transferrin saturation ( ΔTS ) in the iron-fortified milk group ( ΔTS : 3.4 ± 12.9 % ) was greater than that in the placebo and nonfortified milk groups ( ΔTS : −10.1 ± 9.8 % and −11.6 ± 10.7 % , respectively ) ( p < .01 ) . The weight gain of the subjects during intervention did not differ significantly in the fortified and nonfortified milk groups ( Δweight : 5.0 ± 2.0 and 5.8 ± 2.1 kg , respectively ) , but was higher than in the iron tablet group ( Δweight : 4.6 ± 3.1 kg p < .05 ) and the placebo group ( Δweight : 3.8 ± 2.5 kg ; p < .001 ) . Iron supplementation and fortification were seen to be effective in promoting weight gain in pregnant Vietnamese women . For women who are underweight , the administration of iron-fortified milk has additional benefits to those of supplementation , most likely due to additional energy and nutrient inputs
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 .