Impact of rice fortified with iron, zinc, thiamine and folic acid on laboratory measurements of nutritional status of preschool children

This study aimed to assess the impact of using fortified rice (Ultra Rice ® - UR®) on the nutritional status of preschoolers. Ninety-nine children enrolled in two philanthropic preschools participated of the study. Children of one of the preschools were offered UR® mixed with polished rice, as part of school meals (test group) and the children of another preschool were offered pure polished rice (control group). Biochemical evaluations were performed before and after 4 months of intervention. Dietary assessment and sensory evaluation of UR® mixed with polished rice were performed during the study. The fortified rice improved the concentrations of zinc (p< 0.001), thiamine (p< 0.001), folic acid (p = 0.003), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (p< 0.001) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (p< 0.001). The fortified rice showed good acceptability among preschoolers. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of using rice fortified with iron, zinc, thiamine and folic acid on the nutritional status of children.Resumo A fortifica ção de alimentos constitui importante estratégia para o controle da deficiência de micronutrientes e apresenta como vantagens a alta cobertura populacional e o fato de não alterar hábitos alimentares. O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o impacto do uso de arroz fortificado (Ultra Ric e® - UR®) sobre o estado nutricional de pré-escolares. Noventa e nove crianças matriculadas em duas creches filantrópicas participaram...
Source: Ciencia e Saude Coletiva - Category: Occupational Health Source Type: research