Zinc Supplementation and Nutrition Education Among Children in the Rural Community

Pilot Zinc Supplementation and Nutrition Education Among Children in the Rural Community, Cameroon

Malnutrition among children, especially stunting is a public health problem in Cameroon. This study assesses the impact of zinc supplementation of children and nutrition education of mothers on the nutritional status of the children in the rural community. Dietary surveys, nutritional status, zinc supplementation of children and nutrition education of mothers were carried out. After nutrition education and zinc supplementation, the study showed positive impact of both intervention on the nutritional status of children.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Effects of; Serum
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Zinc Supplementation; Behavioral: Nutrition education of mothers

Detailed Description

A questionnaire was developed, tested and adjusted prior the field survey. During the study, the knowledge of mothers on child nutrition, the eating habits of children, the estimated consumption of energy, nutrients of children and food availability on the market during harvesting and sowing seasons were evaluated. Moreover, data on zinc supplementation and nutrition education sessions conducted with mothers of these children were collected. The impact of zinc supplementation and maternal education was evaluated by measuring height/age, weight/age and weight/height indices, and levels of serum albumin, calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium and phosphorus before and after interventions.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 150
• Phase: Phase 2; Phase 3

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 6 months to 4 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• To have an age between 6 to 59 months
• To have signature of informed consent by the parents

Exclusion Criteria:

• To be illnes
• To have severe malnutrition

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Zinc supplementation; The 25 supplemented children had received an oral dose of 10 mg of zinc sulphate per day for 14 days	Drug: Zinc Supplementation; The 25 supplemented children had received an oral zinc supplement per day for 14 days and had no dietary restrictions.; Other Names: Supplementation
Experimental: Nutrition education of mothers; Nutritional information was delivered to each mother to facilitate a change in bad eating habits observed, improve knowledge, attitudes and skills of mothers on child nutrition. The anthropometric and biochemistry parameters of children were taken before and after the maternal nutrition education	Behavioral: Nutrition education of mothers; Nutritional information was delivered to each mother to facilitate a change in bad eating habits observed, improve knowledge, attitudes and skills of mothers on child nutrition. The anthropometric and biochemistry parameters of children were taken before and after the maternal nutrition education; Other Names: Maternal education

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Zinc supplementation among children in the rural community	The supplemented children received the oral zinc sulphate per day for two week and serum zinc concentration were taken before and after the intervention.	Zinc supplementation: 14 days
Nutrition education of mothers and improvement of nutritionnal status of children	The appropriate information of child nutrition was delivered to each mother. Before and after that maternal nutrition education, the anthropometric and biochemistry parameters of children were mesured.	Impact of maternal education: 10 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Douala

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 1, 2015
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 15, 2015
• Study Completion (Actual): December 30, 2015

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 15, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 28, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): October 5, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): October 6, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 2, 2020
• Last Verified: September 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: UDouala

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No
• IPD Plan Description: To share the data with other researchers, we want to publish our study to international review.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No