Long-term cereal-based nutritional supplementation improved the total spine bone mineral density amongst Sri Lankan preschool children: a randomized controlled study.
BACKGROUND
The Thriposha programme in Sri Lanka provides a combination of energy, protein and micronutrients as a 'ready-to-eat' cereal-based food.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the effectiveness of calcium and vitamin D3 in the Thriposha on bone mineralization among preschool children aged 3-5 years.


METHODS
Subjects (n = 30) were fed with conventional Thriposha while the control group (n = 30) children were fed without mineral and vitamin premix (Corn-Soya-Blend - CSB) for a period of nine months. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of total spine was measured at the baseline and after the intervention.


RESULTS
The mean baseline total spine BMD was 0.464 (0.050) g/cm2 in the interventional group and 0.453 (0.035) g/cm2 in the control group (p = 0.09). At the end of the study, the BMD levels were 0.487 (0.047) and 0.454 (0.031) g/cm2 (p < 0.001) respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Daily supplementation of cereal based food supplement over a period of nine months improved the total spine BMD.
Hettiarachchi
Manjula
M
Nuclear Medicine Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ruhuna, Galle, Sri Lanka. manjula.hettiarachchi@gmail.com
Lekamwasam
Sarath
S
Liyanage
Chandrani
C
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D002523:Edible Grain; D005260:Female; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D002762:Cholecalciferol