Micronutrient Supplementation and Fortification Interventions on Health and Development Outcomes among Children Under-Five in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Vitamin A supplementation in reducing all-cause mortality among children under-five in low- and middle-income countries.
Results Summary
Vitamin A supplementation likely reduced all-cause mortality in children under-five. The study did not report adverse effects or specific safety concerns related to Vitamin A.
Population
Children under-five in low- and middle-income countries.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
iron alone | decrease | risk of anemia | children under-five in LMICs | - | reduced | #1 |
iron-folic acid | decrease | risk of anemia | children under-five in LMICs | - | reduced | #2 |
MMN supplementation | decrease | risk of anemia | children under-five in LMICs | - | reduced | #3 |
MNPs | decrease | risk of anemia | children under-five in LMICs | - | reduced | #4 |
targeted fortification | decrease | risk of anemia | children under-five in LMICs | - | reduced | #5 |
large-scale fortification | decrease | risk of anemia | children under-five in LMICs | - | reduced | #6 |
LNS | increase | stunting | children under-five in LMICs | - | improved | #7 |
LNS | increase | underweight | children under-five in LMICs | - | improved | #8 |
MMN supplementation | increase | length-for-age z-scores | children under-five in LMICs | - | slightly increased | #9 |
Vitamin A supplementation | decrease | all-cause mortality | children under-five in LMICs | - | likely reduced | #10 |
zinc supplementation | decrease | incidence of diarrhea | children under-five in LMICs | - | decreased | #11 |
Micronutrient deficiencies continue to be widespread among children under-five in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), despite the fact that several effective strategies now exist to prevent them. This kind of malnutrition can have several immediate and long-term consequences, including stunted growth, a higher risk of acquiring infections, and poor development outcomes, all of which may lead to a child not achieving his or her full potential. This review systematically synthesizes the available evidence on the strategies used to prevent micronutrient malnutrition among children under-five in LMICs, including single and multiple micronutrient (MMN) supplementation, lipid-based nutrient supplementation (LNS), targeted and large-scale fortification, and point-of-use-fortification with micronutrient powders (MNPs). We searched relevant databases and grey literature, retrieving 35,924 papers. After application of eligibility criteria, we included 197 unique studies. Of note, we examined the efficacy and effectiveness of interventions. We found that certain outcomes, such as anemia, responded to several intervention types. The risk of anemia was reduced with iron alone, iron-folic acid, MMN supplementation, MNPs, targeted fortification, and large-scale fortification. Stunting and underweight, however, were improved only among children who were provided with LNS, though MMN supplementation also slightly increased length-for-age z-scores. Vitamin A supplementation likely reduced all-cause mortality, while zinc supplementation decreased the incidence of diarrhea. Importantly, many effects of LNS and MNPs held when pooling data from effectiveness studies. Taken together, this evidence further supports the importance of these strategies for reducing the burden of micronutrient malnutrition in children. Population and context should be considered when selecting one or more appropriate interventions for programming.