“Impact of multiple micronutrient fortified flour and nutricandy on growth and hemoglobin levels of preschool children: A case study on Indian population”

Introduction: Micronutrient malnutrition contributes substantially to the global burden of disease. Micronutrient malnutrition in preschool children is rampant in India. Objective: To assess the impact of multiple micronutrient fortified flour and nutricandy on growth and hemoglobin levels of preschool children (3-6 yrs) for a period of 60 days in urban slums of Vadodara, India. Methodology: Baseline and End line data was collected on socio-economic status, hemoglobin levels, dietary intake and anthropometric measurements. Preschool children (3-6 yrs) are supplemented with 80 gm of multiple micronutrient fortified flour and one nutricandy daily at the anganwadi center. Result: At the end of the intervention period, all subjects (both boys and girls) showed significant increment in weight and height. A significant rise of 5.3% in hemoglobin levels was seen (0.55 g/dl, p < 0.05) for all the subjects among the various age groups. The overall prevalence of anemia decreased from 68% to 44% after supplementation. Conclusion and Recommendation: Multiple micronutrient food supplementation led to a rise in growth, reducing the prevalence and severity of anemia among the preschool children. Thus, can be recommended as a short term strategy for improving hemoglobin levels in preschool children belonging to the low socioeconomic status.