THE EFFECT OF BIOFORTIFIED FOOD CONSUMPTION IN THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF IRON AND VITAMIN A IN PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN

• Grant number: 12/04625-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: July 01, 2012
• End date: April 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nutrition - Nutritional Analysis of Population
• Principal Investigator: Regina Mara Fisberg
• Grantee: Diva Aliete dos Santos Vieira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Iron and vitamin A deficiency is one of the major nutritional problems in the preschool group, being necessary the development of complementary strategies to combat these deficiencies. In this context, biofortification of food presents itself as a sustainable alternative and low cost for population with limited access to formal systems of market and of health. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of consumption of biofortified products on the improvement and / or maintenance of the nutritional status of iron and vitamin A in pre-school children from Aracaju city, Sergipe. It will be conducted an intervention study with 300 children (3 years old to 5 years old and 11 months old ) in two time profit day care centers of full- time in Aracaju city, Sergipe. For 5 months of the school year will be evaluated the efficacy of biofortified food on nutritional status of iron and vitamin A to preschool children. The children will be divided into two groups, G1 (intervention group) and G2 (control) and during this period they will receive regularly three meals a day (breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack), however, only the G1 will have on its food the biofortified products. At the beginning and the end of the school semester it will be done biochemical, anthropometric evaluations of the children and food consumption. It will be done previously a preliminary study in which it will be analyzed data relating to anthropometric assessment, dietary assessment, acceptance of biofortified products and prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in this population. It will be started an iron supplementation on children diagnosed anemic before the beginning of the study.