title: Delivering Sprinkles Plus through the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) to reduce anemia in pre-school children in India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness of micronutrient powder (MNP) supplementation in reducing anemia levels in children aged 6 mo to 6 y in India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty sachets of MNP (Sprinkles Plus) were administered flexibly over a 4 mo period to 17,124 children at anganwadi centers or at home through Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). Compliance was monitored using compliance cards and an assessment of mother's recall at post-intervention survey. Hemoglobin was measured in separate random samples of 1,786 children before and 1,782 children after MNP supplementation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean compliance rate was estimated at 56.4 % (based on mother's recall) and 91.7 % (based on compliance cards) for children who received MNP at home. Mean compliance was 96.9 % (based on compliance cards) for children who received MNP at anganwadis. A significant reduction in anemia (50 % to 33 % in boys; p-value <.000; 47.4 % to 34.2 % in girls) was seen following MNP supplementation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Integration of a flexibly administered MNP supplementation into the ICDS is effective in reducing and treating anemia in children 6 mo to 6 y age.
authors.affiliation: Vadu Rural Health Program, KEM Hospital Research Center, Rasta Peth, Pune, 411011, India, sidbela@vsnl.com.
authors.forename: Siddhivinayak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirve
authors.forename: Elviyanti
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martini
authors.forename: Sanjay K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Juvekar
authors.forename: Dhiraj
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: Ashish
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bavdekar
authors.forename: Mayang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sari
authors.forename: Manjusha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Molwane
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Janes
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Haselow
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: Anand
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pandit
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D010349:Patient Compliance