title: The impact of weekly iron supplementation on the iron status and growth of adolescent girls in Tanzania.
abstract: We evaluated the effect of weekly doses of 400 mg of ferrous sulphate for 4 months on the iron status of adolescent girls in a controlled trial in Tanga, Tanzania. Supplementation led to a significantly greater increase in serum ferritin compared with the control group (+ 15.6 microg/l vs. 8.6 microg/l) (P = 0.002) but there was no significant difference in change in haemoglobin. Children given iron showed a significantly greater weight gain than controls (+ 2.4 kg vs. + 1.4 kg) (P = 0.03). Weekly iron supplementation may be an effective means of increasing iron stores and growth in children vulnerable to iron deficiency.
authors: Centre for International Child Health, Institute of Child Health, University College, London, UK.
authors: N M
authors: NM
authors: Beasley
authors: A M
authors: AM
authors: Tomkins
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Hall
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Lorri
authors: C M
authors: CM
authors: Kihamia
authors: D A
authors: DA
authors: Bundy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000818:Animals; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015995:Prevalence; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016387:Women's Health
chemical_list: D005296:Ferrous Compounds; C020748:ferrous sulfate; D005293:Ferritins