Impact of daily-supervised administration of a package of iron and folic acid and vitamin B
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to assess the impact of daily supplementation of iron and folic acid (IFA) with or without vitamin B12 on anemia in adolescent girls.
Results Summary
Both the experimental (IFA + vitamin B12) and control (IFA + placebo) groups showed increased hemoglobin and ferritin levels, though the experimental group had a smaller hemoglobin increase. Vitamin B12 levels improved significantly in the experimental group.
Population
Indian adolescent girls (12-19 years) with mild to moderate anemia from rural government schools.
Effective Dosage
Experimental group: iron (60 mg), folic acid (500 mcg), cyanocobalamin (1000 mcg) daily; control group: IFA (iron 60 mg, folic acid 500 mcg) and placebo daily.
Duration
90 days
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation program | no change | prevalence of anemia | Indian adolescent girls | null | has remained high | #1 |
daily supplementation of a package of IFA with vitamin B12 | null | null | adolescent girls in the age group of 12-19 years with mild and moderate anemia | null | assess the impact | #2 |
daily-supervised administration of iron and folic acid with cyanocobalamin (experimental group) | increase | mean hemoglobin | adolescent girls who completed 90 doses of daily supplementation | 1.3 ± 1.0 g/dL | increased | #3 |
daily-supervised administration of iron and folic acid with placebo (control group) | increase | mean hemoglobin | adolescent girls who completed 90 doses of daily supplementation | 1.6 ± 1.2 g/dL | increased | #4 |
daily-supervised administration of iron and folic acid with cyanocobalamin (experimental group) | increase | ferritin levels | adolescent girls who completed 90 doses of daily supplementation | 18.6 ± 31.5 ng/mL | increased | #5 |
daily-supervised administration of iron and folic acid with placebo (control group) | increase | ferritin levels | adolescent girls who completed 90 doses of daily supplementation | 18.8 ± 35.0 ng/mL | increased | #6 |
daily-supervised administration of iron and folic acid with cyanocobalamin (experimental group) | increase | serum vitamin B12 levels | adolescent girls who completed 90 doses of daily supplementation | null | increased | #7 |
daily-supervised administration of iron and folic acid with placebo (control group) | decrease | serum vitamin B12 levels | adolescent girls who completed 90 doses of daily supplementation | null | decreased | #8 |
OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of anemia has remained high among Indian adolescent girls over the past decade, despite the ongoing iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation program. This study was conducted to assess the impact of daily supplementation of a package of IFA with vitamin B METHODS: A community-based cluster-randomized trial was conducted in the rural block of Faridabad District, Haryana, India in the year 2017. A total of 760 adolescent girls in the age group of 12-19 years with mild and moderate anemia were selected from government schools. Daily-supervised administration of iron and folic acid was conducted for 90 days: experimental group-IFA (iron (60 mg), folic acid (500) mcg), and cyanocobalamin (1000 mcg), control group-IFA and placebo. Hemoglobin, serum ferritin, and vitamin B RESULTS: Two-hundred adolescent girls completed 90 doses of daily supplementation. The mean hemoglobin (experimental group: 1.3 ± 1.0 g/dL, control group: 1.6 ± 1.2 g/dL, P = 0.004) and ferritin levels (experimental group: 18.6 ± 31.5 ng/mL, control group: 18.8 ± 35.0 ng/mL, P = 0.188) increased in both the control and experiment groups. Serum vitamin B CONCLUSIONS: Daily supplementation of IFA with/without vitamin B