Effect of African Leafy Vegetables on Nutritional Status of South African School Children. (ALV)

The Effect of African Leafy Vegetables on Nutritional Status (Including Iron, Zinc and Vitamin A Status) of School Children Residing in Semi-rural Farm Community in the North West Province of South Africa

The combination of poverty-related infectious and lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases, both driven by malnutrition, causes a high burden for South Africa. Healthy and nutritious diets for populations depend on availability and accessibility of a variety of plant and animal foods, within a context that promotes and supports healthy behaviour. Food based strategies, such as supplementation, food fortification, and diversification of crops, are used to achieve optimal dietary requirements to combat malnutrition, including micronutrient deficiencies. A more sustainable food based strategy is the (promotion of) use of indigenous and traditional foods, such as African Leafy Vegetables (ALVs). Unfortunately, several studies from all over Africa have shown that there is a shift from traditional diets as result of the preparing techniques and the absence of women in homes. Furthermore, indigenous and traditional foods are considered as "poor people's food".

Against this background, a joint project between South Africa, Kenya and Benin is designed to fill the gaps in knowledge in these countries regarding the availability, acceptability and consumption and evidenced based benefits of foods from local biodiversity. The main aim of the study in South Africa is to provide empirical evidence of how the role of biodiversity can be translated into improved health status in contemporary poor rural and urban communities in the North West Province of South Africa. In order to achieve this it is important to gain knowledge on the possibility of using ALVs as a strategy to alleviate micronutrient deficiencies. Therefore an intervention study to determine the effect of selected ALV on the nutritional status (including zinc, iron, and vitamin A status) of school children (grade R-4) residing in contemporary poor rural community in the North West Province, South Africa has been designed.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Malnutrition; Vitamin A Status; Iron Status; Zinc Status
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: ALV

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 171
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• South Africa
  • North West Province
    • Rysmierbult, North West Province, South Africa
      • Sizamela Intermediate School and Buffelsvlei Intermediate School

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 6 years to 12 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• apparently healthy and had no signs and symptoms of acute illness at the time of baseline blood collection
• attending grade R - 4 of one of the selected schools

Exclusion Criteria:

• Children with a haemoglobin concentration <8 g/dL were excluded from the study and referred for medical treatment.
• Children who received micronutrient supplements were also excluded from the study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Allocation: Randomized

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: ALV; 300 gram cooked African leafy vegetables and school meal starch as daily school meal (5 days/weeks) for 3 months. Selected African leafy vegetables:Amaranthus cruentus (amaranth), Vigna unguiculata (cowpea), Cleome gynandra (spiderplant), and Cucurbita maxima (pumpkin).	Other: ALV; Random allocation of children of two rural farm schools per grade to receive either 300 gram cooked ALVs and school meal starch or the normal school meal as daily meal (5 days/weeks) for 3 months.
No Intervention: Control; normal school meal as daily meal (5 days/weeks) for 3 months

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Change in nutritional status of school children (nutritional status measured by: blood haemoglobin, serum ferritin, serum zinc and serum retinol)	three months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Change in nutritional status of school children (nutritional status measured by: height-for-age z-score, weight-for-age z-score and BMI-for-age z-score)	three months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: North-West University, South Africa
• Collaborators: Medical Research Council, South Africa; National Research Foundation of South Africa; Agricultural Research Council of South Africa; Sight and Life; Program to Support Pro-poor Policy Development (PSPPD)
• Investigators: Study Director: Marius Smuts, PhD, North-West University; Study Director: Annamarie Kruger, PhD, North-West University; Principal Investigator: Marinka van der Hoeven, MSc, North-West University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: February 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 1, 2012
• Study Completion (Actual): June 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 8, 2013
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 9, 2013
• First Posted (Estimate): August 12, 2013

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): August 12, 2013
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 9, 2013
• Last Verified: August 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Nutrition Disorders; Malnutrition
• Other Study ID Numbers: ALV study