Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are common among children in developing countries. Micronutrient deficiencies increase the risk of many serious diseases. Research suggests that daily vitamin supplementation is essential to overall health and may help prevent disease in children and adults. Now research reports that fortifying milk with vitamins and minerals may lower the risk of severe illness including diarrhea and lower respiratory disease among children in developing countries.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal, investigated the effectiveness of milk fortified with micronutrients in disease prevention among young children in northern India. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Center for Micronutrient Research at Annamalai University in India, administered milk fortified with zinc, iron, selenium, copper, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E or unfortified milk to 633 children, ages 1 to 4, for one year. The children were followed twice a week to obtain information regarding illnesses that may have occurred.
The researchers found that the children who consumed the fortified milk reduced the risk of severe illness by 15 percent, the risk of pneumonia by 16 percent, and the risk of diarrhea by 18 percent, compared to those consuming unfortified milk. Greater benefits were seen in children aged 2 or younger.
"Milk is well accepted as a means of delivery of micronutrients," the study authors conclude. "Consumption of milk fortified with specific micronutrients can significantly reduce the burden of common morbidities among preschool children, especially in the first two years of life."
REFERENCES:
1. Sazawal S et al. Effects of fortified milk on morbidity in young children in north India: community based, randomised, double masked placebo controlled trial. BMJ 2007 Jan 20;334(7585):140. Epub 2006 Nov 28.
Posted by Elaine Gavalas on February 11, 2007 03:43 PM
