Effectiveness evaluation of a program distributing milk fortified with iron and zinc to reduce anemia and iron deficiency in Mexican toddlers.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a Federal Government program that distributes milk fortified with 10 mg of iron (gluconate), 10 mg zinc (oxide), vitamin C and other micronutrients at subsidized prices on the prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency in 1084 Mexican toddlers 12-30 mo of age. Children were randomly assigned to receive daily either 500 mL of fortified milk for 2 years (FM2Y) or non-fortified milk for one year followed by fortified milk the second years (FM1Y), under the normal operation conditions of the program. A comparable third group that never received fortified milk was assembled the second year (C) selected from the same communities. Hemoglobin, serum ferritin (F), soluble transferrin receptors (sTfR) and PCR were measured a 0 and 2 years after initiation of intervention. The basal prevalence of anemia (41.4%) and iron deficiency (44%) decreased to 3.3 and 10%, respectively in FM2 and to 2.4 and 7.4%, respectively in FM groups. Final prevalences of anemia and iron deficiency were lower than in C group (9% and 16.1%, p¡Ü0.0001, and p¡Ü0.003, respectively). After three years of the implemented this highly effective program outreaching 5 million children, 1.5 million oh them were cured from anemia and iron deficiency and the associated loss of capacities was most probably curved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]