title: Effects of nutrient fortified complementary food supplements on anemia of infants and young children in poor rural of Gansu.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness of complementary food supplements with protein and multi-micronutrients on hemoglobin and anemia in infants and young children.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 5 poor counties of Gansu, 984 children aged 6-12 months were enrolled and divided into two groups. In addition to the usual home-made complementary food, all the children were fed one sachet of either Formula I or Formula II supplements each day. Protein and micronutrients were provided in Formula I, while the same energy intake was secured in Formula II as in Formula I. A massive dose of vitamin A was supplemented to all the children every 6 months. Hemoglobin test was done at the same time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of anemia was about 35% in both Formula I and Formula II group at baseline, and there were no differences in hemoglobin concentration between the two groups. During the 6-month and 12-month supplementation, hemoglobin of children in Formula I group was higher than that in Formula II group (P < 0.05), and hemoglobin increase in Formula I group was significantly higher than that in Formula II group (P < 0.001). After 6- and 12-month supplementation, the prevalence of anemia in Formula I group dropped to 19.1% and 8.2% respectively, and it was 28.0% and 12.4% in Formula 2 group. The prevalence of anemia in Formula I group was significantly lower than that in Formula II group (P < 0.05). After adjusting age and hemoglobin level at baseline, the hemoglobin increase at age of 24 months in formula 1 group was higher (10.7 g/L vs 7.9 g/L, P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Micronutrient fortified complementary food supplements, with large-dose vitamin A, is effective for children aged 6-12 months in terms of iron deficiency prevention.
authors.affiliation: Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100050, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chun-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Fu-Zhen
authors.initials: FZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Ke-An
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002681:China; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005527:Food, Fortified / Q000032:analysis*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food / Q000032:analysis*; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011203:Poverty; D012424:Rural Population
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D019266:Iron, Dietary