Efficacy Of An Iron Fortified Infant Cereal On The Nutritional Status Of Children Aged 6-18 Months In The La Nkwantanang Municipality Of The Greater Accra Region

ABSTRACT Background: The nutritional status of mothers before conception and nutrition of the child during the first 1000 days of life starting from conception is a critical determinant of their future well-being. Iron deficiency Anaemia is still an issue of concern in Ghana. It increases mortality rate and impairs development of the grey matter infrastructure. The study sought to assess the efficacy of an iron fortified complementary food on the nutritional status of children 6- 18months of age in some peri-urban communities in the La-Nkwantanang Municipality of the Greater Accra Region. Methods: The study design was a double blinded randomised controlled trial where one group received the iron fortified infant cereal and the other usual infant cereal. The four communities were assigned randomly to receive either of the foods. The duration of the study was 8 months; 6 months feeding period and 2 months post intervention (no feeding). Background characteristics, dietary, anthropometric and biochemical data were collected at baseline and repeated subsequent 2 months, 4 months, 6 months and at 8 months with the exception of background information. Worm infestation and malaria status was assessed at baseline and endline to account for them as potential confounders. Measurement of weight was done with a SALTER hanging scale, height was assessed with a SECA infantometer and MUAC was measured using an inextensible MUAC tapes. Haemoglobin concentration (Hb) was determined with a digital HemoCue photometer using a finger prick blood sample from the children. With the help of a 24-hour recall, dietary intake of the consumed foods from the various food groups was assessed. Stool samples were collected to assess for the presence of helminths through the microscopic smear test. Assessment of malaria was done using the RDR procedure while the microscopic technique was also done as a confirmatory test. Data collected were used to measure dietary diversity score, height, weight MUAC, HAZ, WAZ, WHZ, and  Hb; a proxy for anaemia status, per each point of data collection. Changes both between and within the indicators of the 2 groups at baseline and endline were compared by means of paired and independent sample t-test and Pearson Chi-square for continuous and categorical variables respectively. Results: It was found that the iron fortified complementary food significantly increased the mean haemoglobin concentrations from baseline to endline. The control group recorded a mean change in haemoglobin of 1.16±0.21 while the intervention group recorded a higher mean change of 1.98±0.19 at a P value of