Preschool micronutrient supplementation effects on intellectual and motor function in school-aged Nepalese children.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether iron plus folic acid supplementation in early childhood (12-35 months) had long-term effects on intellectual, motor, and executive function by ages 7-9.
Results Summary
The study found no significant effect of iron plus folic acid supplementation on intellectual, motor, or executive function outcomes in children aged 7-9, suggesting no long-term developmental benefits from supplementation during early childhood.
Population
Rural Nepalese children aged 12-35 months at supplementation and 7-9 years at testing.
Effective Dosage
12.5 mg iron and 50 μg folic acid
Duration
Supplementation from 12 to 35 months of age (23 months total)
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
iron plus folic acid supplementation | no change | intellectual, motor, and executive function | children 12 to 35 months of age at supplementation and 7 to 9 years of age at testing in rural Nepal | no significant change | had no effect overall | #1 |
iron plus folic acid supplementation | no change | any individual outcome measures being tested | children 12 to 35 months of age at supplementation and 7 to 9 years of age at testing in rural Nepal | no significant change | had no effect | #2 |
zinc supplementation | increase | intellectual, motor, and executive function | children 12 to 35 months of age at supplementation and 7 to 9 years of age at testing in rural Nepal | - | had an overall effect | #3 |
zinc supplementation | no change | individual test scores | children 12 to 35 months of age at supplementation and 7 to 9 years of age at testing in rural Nepal | no significant change | none of the individual test score differences were significant | #4 |
zinc supplementation | no change | intellectual, motor, and executive function | children 12 to 35 months of age at supplementation and 7 to 9 years of age at testing in rural Nepal | no significant change | the overall difference was not significant | #5 |
iron plus folic acid or zinc supplementation | no change | aspects of intellectual, executive, and motor function | children 12 to 35 months of age at supplementation and 7 to 9 years of age at testing in rural Nepal | no significant change | had no effect | #6 |
OBJECTIVE: To examine intellectual and motor functioning of children who received micronutrient supplementation from 12 to 35 months of age. DESIGN: Cohort follow-up of children 7 to 9 years of age who participated in a 2 × 2 factorial, placebo-controlled, randomized trial from October 2001 through January 2006. SETTING: Rural Nepal. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 734 children 12 to 35 months of age at supplementation and 7 to 9 years of age at testing. INTERVENTIONS: Children received iron plus folic acid (12.5 mg of iron and 50 μg of folic acid); zinc (10 mg); iron plus folic acid and zinc; or placebo. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Intellectual, motor, and executive function. RESULTS: In both the unadjusted and adjusted analyses, iron plus folic acid supplementation had no effect overall or on any individual outcome measures being tested. In the unadjusted analysis, zinc supplementation had an overall effect, although none of the individual test score differences were significant. In the adjusted analysis, the overall difference was not significant. CONCLUSION: In rural Nepal, we found that iron plus folic acid or zinc supplementation during the preschool years had no effect on aspects of intellectual, executive, and motor function at 7 to 9 years of age, suggesting no long-term developmental benefit of iron or zinc supplementation during 12 to 35 months of age.