Feasibility and Effectiveness of Distributing Micronutrient Sprinkles to Reduce Prevalence of Anemia

August 29, 2012 updated by: International Food Policy Research Institute

Assessing the Feasibility and Effectiveness of Distributing Micronutrient Sprinkles Within a Title II Food Aid and Maternal and Child Health Program in Rural Haiti

The objective of this study is to test the feasibility and effectiveness of distributing micronutrient sprinkles to 6-20 month old children participating in an integrated maternal and child health and nutrition program in rural Haiti. The micronutrient sprinkles have been formulated to prevent or treat anemia in 6-23 month old children. Effectiveness in reducing the prevalence of anemia will be assessed.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Anemia is highly prevalent among infants and young children in Haiti and throughout the world. Low intakes of several micronutrients contribute to this problem. It is very difficult to meet the micronutrient needs of infants and young children without substantial amounts of animal-source foods; such foods are not affordable for most families in many poor communities.

Micronutrient sprinkles are a novel approach to meeting children's needs. The sprinkles are packed in sachets containing a daily ration, and are intended to be used in the home and "sprinkled" directly on the children's food. Earlier trials have shown the efficacy of the sprinkles for preventing and treating anemia under controlled conditions.

The current study tests the feasibility and effectiveness when sprinkles are distributed in the programmatic context of a US Title II food aid distribution program, a context that is common in many countries that receive assistance from the United States Agency for International Development and other donors. The study also includes the development and dissemination of educational messages to motivate and enable caregivers to use the sprinkles properly. Based on previous efficacy trials no side-effects are anticipated, but the study also monitors for unanticipated side-effects.

Comparison: Since effectiveness of the sprinkles distributed as part of a take-home ration has not been established, this study employed a randomized controlled design. Randomization occurred at the level of the food distribution point (place where community members gather to receive food rations). Groups were assigned to receive either the take home ration (usual program practice) or the take home ration and the sprinkles. Families receiving only food rations at the control sites will receive sprinkles along with their food ration immediately after data collection is complete. The design was also consistent with the program necessity of a gradual roll-out of this new intervention. The prevalence of anemia among target-age children will be compared between groups that receive a two-month supply of micronutrient sprinkles with their take-home food ration, and those that do not.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

450

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Haiti
      • Hinche, Haiti
        • World Vision-Haiti Regional Office

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

6 months to 1 year (Child)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 6-20 months old at time of recruitment
  • Family receives food rations at World Vision-Haiti's Food Distribution Points

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Severe anemia at time of recruitment (hemoglobin <7.0 g/dl)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Food aid only
Children in this arm received fortified food aid commodities supplied through the maternal and child health and nutrition program implemented by World Vision. They received fortified corn-soy blend, which contained iron.
Dietary supplement: Fortified food aid (corn-soy blend)
This intervention was part of the overall food assisted maternal and child health and nutrition program, and included fortified food aid commodities. Corn soy blend was targeted to the child, while the family also received wheat, lentils and oil.
Experimental: Micronutrient sprinkles + food aid
Children in this arm were enrolled in the food assisted program, and therefore received fortified food aid, as well as 60 sachets of a multiple micronutrient powder (Sprinkles) containing iron, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin C and folic acid
Dietary supplement: Fortified food aid (corn-soy blend)
This intervention was part of the overall food assisted maternal and child health and nutrition program, and included fortified food aid commodities. Corn soy blend was targeted to the child, while the family also received wheat, lentils and oil.
Dietary supplement: "Sprinkles" containing mulitple micronutrients
Behavioral: Education/communication on use of micronutrient sprinkles

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Prevalence of anemia after 2 months of treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Prevalence of symptoms of morbidity at 1 and 2 months after treatment begins

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

International Food Policy Research Institute

Collaborators

Cornell University
World Vision
Micronutrient Initiative

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Purnima Menon, PhD, International Food Policy Research Institute
  • Principal Investigator: Marie T. Ruel, PhD, International Food Policy Research Institute

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

March 1, 2005

Primary Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2005

Study Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2005

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 13, 2005

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 13, 2005

First Posted (Estimate)

September 21, 2005

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

August 30, 2012

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 29, 2012

Last Verified

August 1, 2012

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 10-0460-INTFOO-01-3-IFPRI

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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