NCT01111864

Changes in Microbiota and Iron Status After Iron Fortification of Complementary Foods

The Effect of Iron Fortification of Complementary Foods on Iron Status and Infant Gut Microbiota in Kenya

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 160 (actual)
• Sponsor: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 24 Weeks – 28 Weeks
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Infants and children under two years are the group with the highest rates of iron deficiency anemia. Provision of sufficient dietary iron to this age group is a challenge, and in-home iron fortification of complementary foods using micronutrient powders can be an effective approach. However, WHO has recently cautioned against untargeted use of in-home micronutrient powders that contain the entire iron RDA for a child in a single dose in areas with high rates of infections from malaria and diarrheal disease. Therefore, in this study, we will investigate the effect on the infant gut microbiota of a low dose (ca. 25% of the RDA) of highly bioavailable iron, provided by a micronutrient powder added to a complementary food. The study aim is to determine if in-home fortification using an iron-containing micronutrient powder in Kenyan infants will improve iron status and/or modify the composition and metabolic activity of the gut microbiota. Active surveillance will be done weekly to monitor the health of the infants. Our study will be done in a subgroup (n=160) of a larger double-blind controlled feeding trial in which 330 infants will be randomized to receive a micronutrient powder containing either 2.5 mg iron or no iron for 1 year. In our substudy, the infants will be studied only over the first 6 months of the 1 year intervention. Blood samples, taken at baseline and after 6 months will be used to define the iron status and the anemia level of the infants. Stool samples (2 at baseline before intervention, 6 throughout the study and additional samples in case of diarrhea) will be obtained for analysis of the gut microbiota. In the entire study (n=330), we will measure changes in iron status over 1 year.

Conditions

• Bacterial Infections

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	fortification with iron and micronutrients	Iron 0 or 2.5 mg; Copper 0.34 mg; 30 µg Iodine; 7 µg Selenium; 2.5 mg Zinc; 100 µg Vitamin A; Vitamin D 5 µg; 5 mg Tocopherol Equivalent; 30 µg Vitamin K1; 10.5 mg Thiamine; 0.5 mg Riboflavin; 0.5 mg Pyridoxine; 90 µg Folic Acid Anhydrous; 6 mg Niacinamide; 60 mg Vitamin C; 0.9 µg Vitamin B12
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Sprinkles	Daily 12.5mg Ferrous fumarate iron with microntrient is compared to no iron with micronutrients. Duration of intervention is 4 months, 80 infants will be inclulded.

Timeline

• Start date: 2010-02-01
• Primary completion: 2012-09-01
• Completion: 2012-10-01
• First posted: 2010-04-28
• Last updated: 2013-06-07

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Kenya