Iron Absorption From Complementary Food Fortificants (CFFs) and Acceptability of CFFs by Beninese Children
Condition: Iron Deficiency; Anemia
MeSH terms: Iron Deficiencies
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Iron deficiency (ID) is still a main public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. Iron
      deficient children have an increased risk for anemia which is associated with adverse infant
      development that might be partly irreversible. In sub-Saharan Africa, the etiology of ID in
      children is multifactoral; but the major causes are low iron dietary bioavailability and
      intake from monotonous cereal-based complementary foods. Children < 5 years old can benefit
      from iron-fortified complementary foods; however, these fortified complementary foods are
      often not adapted to the requirements of children in specific setting. The investigators
      developed a complementary food fortificant (CFF) which is added to local porridge and is
      deemed to meet the nutrient intake requirement for iron in children 1-3 years of age. The CFF
      is lipid-based and can therefore, if regularly used, increase the daily energy intake of
      children which is often too low in developing countries with cereal-based diets.

      The iron absorption from the mixture of CFF and porridge has to be optimized because it
      contains quite a high amount of phytate, a well-known inhibitor of iron absorption. To
      optimize iron absorption the investigators are planning three iron absorption studies using
      different compounds of iron (FeSO4 + NaFeEDTA), additional vitamin C and phytase, which is
      able to degrade phytate. In the first study, iron absorption will be determined from a
      mixture of CFF and porridge fortified with 1) 6 mg FeSO4 and 2) 6 mg FeSO4 plus additional
      vitamin C. In the second study, the test meals will be fortified with 1) 6 mg FeSO4 and 2) a
      mixture of 3 mg FeSO4 + 3 mg NaFeEDTA. In the third study, test meals will be fortified with
      1) 6 mg FeSO4, 2) 6 mg FeSO4 plus phytase, and 3) 6 mg FeSO4 plus additional vitamin C and
      phytase. Iron absorption will be determined by incorporation of labeled iron into
      erythrocytes, 14 days after the administration of a test meal containing labeled iron (stable
      isotope technique). Sixty apparently healthy Beninese children 12-36 months of age with a
      body weight > 8.3 kg will be included in the study. Additionally, the investigators will test
      acceptability of CFFs based on different composition formulas by interviewing the
      parents/legal guardians of the children after feeding the CFF for a defined period.

      The results of these studies will provide important insights to optimize the iron absorption
      of young children from a CFF mixed with local traditional porridge in developing countries.
      Furthermore the studies will provide information on the acceptability of CFFs in such a
      setting.
    


Intervention name(s): NaFeEDTA; Phytase; Vitamin C
Intervention type(s): Other; Other; Other
Intervention description(s): Labeled iron as FeSO4 or NaFeEDTA added to a test meal; Labeled iron as FeSO4 added to a test meal with or without phytase and with or without vitamin C; Labeled iron as FeSO4 added to a test meal with or without vitamin C
Intervention MeSH terms: Fe(III)-EDTA
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Basic Science
Keywords: Iron absorption; Complementary food fortificant; Young children