1. Investigating the Impact of Moringa oleifera Supplemented to Kenyan Breastfeeding Mothers on Maternal and Infant Health: A Cluster Randomized Single-Blinded Controlled Pilot Trial Protocol.
- Author
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Mogaka JN, Owuor PM, Odhiambo S, Waterman C, McGuire MK, Fuchs GJ, and Attia SL
- Abstract
Undernutrition contributes to up to 45% of deaths globally in children <5 years, with an optimal time for intervention before 24 months of age. Breastmilk microbiome helps establish the infant intestinal microbiome and impacts infant intestinal and nutritional health. Inadequacies in breastmilk composition such as low vitamin A contribute to infant nutrient deficiencies. Changes in milk fatty acid composition (reduced saturated and increased unsaturated fatty acids) may reduce susceptibility to enteric infection and increase protective intestinal bacteria. Moringa oleifera leaves (moringa) provide high nutrient concentrations (including protein, iron, vitamin A) and increase milk production; this may enhance breastmilk quantity and quality and improve infant health., Objective: To investigate the role of moringa supplementation to improve maternal and infant nutritional and intestinal health via changes in maternal milk quantity and quality., Methods: Fifty mother-infant pairs exclusively breastfeeding will be enrolled in a single-blinded randomized controlled trial in Kombewa County Hospital and Chulaimbo SubCounty Hospital, Kisumu, Kenya., Intervention: Dietary Supplementation of 20 g of Moringa oleifera leaf powder divided twice daily in corn porridge consumed daily for 3 months while control comparator will receive porridge daily for 3 months., Outcomes: Change in infant growth and maternal milk output (primary); maternal and infant vitamin A and iron status, changes in infant and maternal intestinal health (secondary)., Participating Centers: Pamoja Community Based Organization, Kombewa Sub-County Hospital, and Chulaimbo Sub-County Hospital., Competing Interests: CW received NIH Fogarty International grant funding (FIC K01 no. TW 009987) to support this research. CW is a coinventor on the US patent application No. 14683730 titled: Extracts from Plants of the Moringaceae Family and Methods of Making. This does not alter our adherence to the journal’s policies on sharing data and materials. The ramining authors have no conflicts of interest to report., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition and the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition.)
- Published
- 2022
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