scholarly journals Book‐Sharing for Parenting and Child Development in South Africa: A Randomized Controlled Trial

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Dowdall ◽  
Lynne Murray ◽  
Sarah Skeen ◽  
Marguerite Marlow ◽  
Leonardo De Pascalis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Child Development ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Book Sharing

scholarly journals Effect of African leafy vegetables on the micronutrient status of mildly deficient farm-school children in South Africa: a randomized controlled study

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 935-945 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marinka van der Hoeven ◽  
Mieke Faber ◽  
Jennifer Osei ◽  
Annamarie Kruger ◽  
Cornelius M Smuts
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Vitamin A ◽  
Serum Ferritin ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Serum Retinol ◽  
School Meal ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Serum Zn

AbstractObjectiveA randomized controlled trial was conducted to assess the effect of African leafy vegetable (ALV) consumption on Fe, Zn and vitamin A status in children.DesignChildren were randomly allocated to receive either a 300 g cooked ALV dish and school meal starch (n86) or the normal school meal (n81) five times per week for three months. ALV in the dish consisted mainly ofAmaranthus cruentus(at least 80 %) and the remainder ofCleome gynandra,Cucurbita maximaorVigna unguiculata. Nutrient content and consumer acceptance of the ALV dish were also determined.SettingNorth West Province, South Africa.SubjectsGrade R to grade 4 children (6–12 years old) of two farm schools.ResultsThe ALV dish contributed 11·6–15·8 mg Fe and 1·4–3·7 mg Zn. At baseline, prevalence of deficiencies in the intervention group was 16·0 %, 16·3 %, 7·0 % and 75·6 %, respectively, for anaemia (Hb<11·5 g/dl), Fe (serum ferritin<15 µg/l), vitamin A (serum retinol<20 μg/dl) and Zn (serum Zn<65 μg/dl); and in the control group 10·5 %, 18·5 %, 2·5 % and 75·3 %, respectively. No significant estimated intervention effect was found.ConclusionsThis randomized controlled trial showed that ALV were unable to improve serum retinol, serum ferritin or Hb if there are only mild deficiencies present. Furthermore, despite the low Zn status in the study population, ALV consumption did not improve serum Zn concentrations either.

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