title: Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid Improve Gross Motor and Problem-Solving Skills in Young North Indian Children: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Deficiencies of vitamin B12 and folate are associated with delayed development and neurological manifestations. The objective of this study was to measure the effect of daily supplementation of vitamin B12 and/or folic acid on development in young North Indian children.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a randomized, double blind trial, children aged six to 30 months, received supplement with placebo or vitamin B12 and/or folic acid for six months. Children were allocated in a 1:1:1:1 ratio in a factorial design and in blocks of 16. We measured development in 422 children by the Ages and Stages Questionnaire 3rd ed. at the end of the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to placebo, children who received both vitamin B12 and folic acid had 0.45 (95% CI 0.19, 0.73) and 0.28 (95% CI 0.02, 0.54) higher SD-units in the domains of gross motor and problem solving functioning, respectively. The effect was highest in susceptible subgroups consisting of stunted children, those with high plasma homocysteine (> 10 μmol/L) or in those who were younger than 24 at end study. With the exception of a significant improvement on gross motor scores by vitamin B12 alone, supplementation of either vitamin alone had no effect on any of the outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that supplementation of vitamin B12 and folic acid benefit development in North Indian Children.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00717730.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, West, Uni Research Health, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kvestad
authors.affiliation: Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Sunita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taneja
authors.affiliation: Society for Essential Health Action and Training, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Tivendra
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, West, Uni Research Health, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hysing
authors.affiliation: Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Nutrition, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Helga
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Refsum
authors.affiliation: The Diabetes Unit, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Chittaranjan S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Yajnik
authors.affiliation: Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Nita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bhandari
authors.affiliation: Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Division of Medical Services, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Lillehammer, Norway.
authors.forename: Tor A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Strand
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000188:drug therapy; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005494:Folic Acid Deficiency / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000187:drug effects*; D010919:Placebos; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000187:drug effects*; D066107:Social Skills; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014806:Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12