HIỆU QUẢ CỦA BỔ SUNG BÁNH TĂNG CƯỜNG ĐA VI CHẤT ĐẾN TÌNH TRẠNG DINH DƯỠNG CỦA TRẺ 6-9 TUỔI Ở 2 TRƯỜNG TIỂU HỌC TẠI HUYỆN CỜ ĐỎ, THÀNH PHỐ CẦN THƠ

Abstract

Objective: Evaluate the impact of fortified milk bar on nutritional status of children
from 6 – 9 years old in 2 primary schools at Co Do district, Can Tho city. Methods: A
randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial was conducted among 577 primary
school children, aged 6–9 years, in 2 primary schools at Co Do district, Can Tho city, Viet
Nam (2012 – 2013). All of them were divided into 3 group: I (185) ate milk bars with
multi-micronutrient fortification; II (185) ate milk bars with no fortification and III (187)
did not eat any milk bars. The fortified multi-micronutrients in milk bars included vitamin
A, vitamin D, zinc, iodine and calcium. All of the people joining the study did not know
whether the milk bars were fortified or not until the statistical analysis was done. All of
the children were measured weight, height and evaluated the nutritional status before –
after the study. Nutritional status was classified by WHO Growth standard 2006. The data
were entered and analyzed by EpiData 3.1, Anthro Plus of WHO 2005 and Stata 14 (StataCorp - Texas 77845 USA). Results: After 6 months, average weight of group I (milkbar with multi-micronutrient fortification) and group II (milk-bar without fortification)
increased significantly than group III (control) with p<0.05. Average height of group I
and group II increased significantly than group III and between group I, II (p<0.05). Zscore for weight (waz) of group I and group II decreased significantly than group III with
p<0.05. Z-score for height (haz) of group I decreased significantly than group II and III
(p<0.05). The prevalence of underweight, stunting and wasting in intervention group (I)
also improved better than control groups (II, III).
Conclusions: Multi-micronutrient fortification of milk-bars (including vitamin A, vitamin D, zinc, iodine and calcium) is an effective strategy to improve nutritional status of
children from 6 – 9 years old in 2 primary schools at Co Do district, Can Tho city, Viet
Nam.