Effect of micronutrient supplement on health and nutritional status of schoolchildren: study design.
OBJECTIVE
We tested the hypothesis that supplementation with a micronutrient-fortified beverage improves micronutrient status and physical and mental development in apparently healthy schoolchildren.


METHODS
The study was carried out in middle-income students in two residential schools that catered to children from a semi-urban population near Hyderabad, India. Included were 869 children who were 6 to 16 y of age in grades 1 to 10. Because children at each grade were distributed across two classrooms (clusters) and were homogeneous, each grade was considered to consist of a matched pair. There were thus 10 pairs available for the study. Classes in each grade were randomized to receive a micronutrient-enriched beverage or a placebo without added micronutrients. The study was double blinded and the duration was 14 mo, with supervised feeding of the micronutrient-enriched beverage. The effect of the micronutrients on the outcome variables growth, biochemical status, mental function, and bone health were assessed.


RESULTS
The number of matched pairs varied between seven and eight, and the required number of children per treatment group ranged from 32 in the case of bone heath to 177 for body weight. The power of the outcome variables ranged from 74% to 100% and was adequate for successful pairing. The effect assessed at the end of supplementation showed that the intervention was beneficial.


CONCLUSIONS
Designing an intervention, choosing outcome variables, and implementing the protocol in a typical Indian school setting were achieved.
Sivakumar
Bhattiprolu
B
Division of Biophysics, National Institute of Nutrition (Indian Council of Medical Research), Hyderabad, India. dirnin_hyd@yahoo.co.in
Vijayaraghavan
Kamasundaram
K
Vazir
Shahnaz
S
Balakrishna
Nagalla
N
Shatrugna
Veena
V
Sarma
Kramadhati Venkata Rameshwar
KV
Nair
Krishnapillai Madhavan
KM
Raghuramulu
Namala
N
Krishnaswamy
Kamala
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D001846:Bone Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012574:Schools
D018977:Micronutrients