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Cited by 44Iron Metabolism and DisordersChild Nutrition and Water AccessMalaria Research and Control

The effect of weekly iron and vitamin A supplementation on hemoglobin levels and iron status in adolescent schoolgirls in western Kenya

Leenstra, T, Kariuki, S K, Kurtis, J D, Oloo, A J, Kager, P A, ter Kuile, F O·2009·European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
DOI 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602919
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Abstract

Background/objectives Iron deficiency anemia is a major public health problem in developing countries and may affect school performance and physical work capacity in nonpregnant adolescents, and may increase the risk of anemia during subsequent teenage pregnancies. We assessed the effect of weekly iron (120 mg elemental iron) and vitamin A (25 000 IU) supplementation on hemoglobin, iron status and malaria and nonmalaria morbidity in adolescent schoolgirls.Subjects/methods A total of 279 schoolgirls aged 12-18 years from public primary schools in Kisumu, western Kenya. Double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial using a factorial design.Results Five months of iron supplementation was associated with a 0.52 g dl(-1) (0.21, 0.82) greater increase in hemoglobin relative to iron placebo. The effect was only observed in girls with iron deficiency on enrollment (1.34 g dl(-1) (0.79, 1.88)), but not in iron-replete girls (-0.20 g dl(-1) (-0.59, 0.18)). Similar differences in treatment effect were seen between menstruating and nonmenstruating girls. The effect of iron was independent of vitamin A. The baseline prevalence of vitamin A deficiency was low (6.7%) and no sustained increase in hemoglobin was seen with weekly vitamin A (-0.07 g dl(-1) (-0.38, 0.25)). Incidence of malaria parasitemia was higher in the iron than iron-placebo groups (Rate ratio 1.33 (0.94, 1.88)).Conclusions Weekly iron supplementation results in substantial increases in hemoglobin concentration in adolescent schoolgirls in western Kenya, which may outweigh possible risks caused by malaria, but only in iron-deficient or menstruating girls and not in iron-replete and nonmenstruating girls.

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  • Five months of dietary iron supplementation restored hemoglobin levels of iron-deficient Kenyan girls to levels similar to iron-replete girls.

    “A study in Kenyan girls found that 5 months of dietary iron supplementation could restore hemoglobin levels of iron-deficient girls to levels similar to iron-replete girls.”

    From The Impact of Dietary Transition Metals on Host-Bacterial Interactions (2018) · cites this paper as Leenstra et al., 2009

  • Iron-replete girls were at increased risk of infection with the malarial parasite Plasmodium.

    “However, iron-replete girls were at an increased risk of infection with the malarial parasite Plasmodium (Leenstra et al., 2009)”

    From The Impact of Dietary Transition Metals on Host-Bacterial Interactions (2018) · cites this paper as Leenstra et al., 2009

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Authors
Leenstra, T., Kariuki, S. K., Kurtis, J. D., Oloo, A. J., Kager, P. A., & ter Kuile, F. O.
Affiliations
  • Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam (NL)
  • Kenya Medical Research Institute (KE)
  • Brown University (US)
Corresponding author
Leenstra, T
ORCID
Venue
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2007-10-10
Volume
63
Issue
2
Pages
173-182
ISSN
  • 0954-3007 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-5640
DOI
10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602919
OpenAlex
W2113673698
Cited by
44
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 3
FWCI
1.28
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
  • LSTM Online Archive (Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine) (submittedVersion)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Hematology › Iron Metabolism and Disorders
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Child Nutrition and Water Access
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Malaria Research and Control
Keywords
iron supplementation, vitamin A supplementation, iron deficiency anemia, hemoglobin, iron status, adolescent schoolgirls, malaria parasitaemia, menstruation, vitamin A deficiency, Western Kenya
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Child, Double-Blind Method, Drug Therapy, Combination, Female, Ferritins, Follow-Up Studies, Hemoglobins, Humans, Iron, Kenya, Malaria, Retinol-Binding Proteins, Risk, Trace Elements, Vitamin A, Vitamin A Deficiency, Vitamins, Incidence, Parasitemia, Anemia, Iron-Deficiency, Dietary Supplements

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