title: Micronutrient supplementation improves physical performance measures in Asian Indian school-age children.
abstract: Micronutrients are important in physical work capacity and therefore performance. The impact of a multi-micronutrient-fortified nutritional beverage on physical performance measures among clinically healthy school-age children was assessed in a double-blind (for test and placebo groups), placebo-controlled, randomized trial in children aged between 7 and 10.5 y (n = 300). The participants with height- and weight-for-age Z-scores between 0 and ≥ -3 were randomized to 1 of 3 study arms: fortified choco-malt beverage powder (F), matched energy equivalent unfortified placebo (U), and untreated control (C). Participants in the F and C groups were given 40 g fortified (19 key vitamins and minerals) and unfortified choco-malt beverage, respectively, daily for 120 d. Primary efficacy outcomes included endurance and aerobic capacity using a 20-m shuttle test and step test. Other physical performance measures included speed (40-m sprint), visual reaction time, maximal hand grip, and forearm static endurance. Micronutrient status included thiamin, riboflavin, folate, niacin, iron, pyridoxal phosphate, and vitamins B-12 and C. All measurements were made at baseline and the end of the intervention. There was a within-subject increase in aerobic capacity and whole body endurance (P < 0.05) accompanied by a significant improvement in the status of iron thiamin, riboflavin, pyridoxal phosphate, folate, and vitamins C and B-12 in the F group compared to the within-subject changes in the other 2 groups (P < 0.05). The study suggests that multiple micronutrient supplementation in similar populations may be beneficial in improving micronutrient status and enhancing aerobic capacity and endurance in children.
authors.affiliation: St John's Research Institute, St John's National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore, India. mariovaz@sjri.res.in
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vaz
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pauline
authors.forename: Uma S
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Unni
authors.forename: Panam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parikh
authors.forename: Tinku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Bharathi
authors.forename: Sandhya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Avadhany
authors.forename: Sumithra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muthayya
authors.forename: Ruchika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mehra
authors.forename: Anura V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Kurpad
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D010919:Placebos; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos