Efficacy of Multiple Micronutrient Fortified Biscuits and Deworming in Vietnamese School Children

Efficacy of Multiple Micronutrient Fortified Biscuits and Deworming on Reducing Anemia Prevalence, and Improving Micronutrient Status, Cognitive Function, and Growth in Vietnamese School Children

The aim of this study is to identify the effect of a school-based food fortification intervention with multi-micronutrients with or without deworming to improve anemia, micronutrient status, cognitive function, health (morbidity and reinfestation rate) and growth (ponderal) in Vietnamese primary schoolchildren.

Concurrent micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent in schoolchildren in Vietnam. These deficiencies not only lead to anemia, impair growth, increase susceptibility to infection, impair work capacity, but also impair cognitive development and impair learning ability. The risk of micronutrient deficiencies and anemia increases when individuals are exposed to intestinal helminth infections. Schoolchildren are a neglected group with regard to micronutrient interventions, and school programs afford an excellent opportunity to improve health of these groups. Food fortification with multi-micronutrients is a cost-effective and sustainable strategy, but is not yet implemented on a large scale in Vietnam. Furthermore, little is known about whether high prevalence of intestinal helminthic infection in schoolchildren limits the effect of fortification when this is not combined with regular de-worming.

Inclusion Criteria:

• school children aged 6-8 years with written informed consent from parents/caregivers

Exclusion Criteria:

• hemoglobin concentrations < 80g/L
• chronic disease
• congenital abnormalities
• mental or severe physical handicap
• severe malnutrition
• obesity
• receiving deworming within the previous 6 mo