The effect of zinc-biofortified rice on zinc status of Bangladeshi preschool children: a randomized, double-masked, household-based, controlled trial

Background Zinc biofortification of rice could sustainably improve zinc status in countries where zinc deficiency is common and rice is a staple, but its efficacy has not been tested. Fatty acid desaturases (FADS) are putative new zinc status biomarkers. Objectives Our objective was to test the efficacy of zinc-biofortified rice (BFR) in preschool-aged children with zinc deficiency. Our hypothesis was that consumption of BFR would increase plasma zinc concentration (PZC). Methods We conducted a 9-mo, double-masked intervention trial in 12–36-mo-old rural Bangladeshi children, most of whom were zinc-deficient (PZC 0.05). There was a time–treatment interaction for height-for-age z-scores (P < 0.001) favoring the BFR group. The morbidity longitudinal prevalence ratio was 1.08 (95% CI: 1.05, 1.12) comparing the BFR and CR groups, due to more upper respiratory tract illness in the BFR group. Conclusions Consumption of BFR for 9 mo providing ∼1 mg of additional zinc daily to Bangladeshi children did not significantly affect PZC, prevalence of zinc deficiency, or FADS activity. The trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03079583.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 115 (3)
ISSN:0002-9165
ISSN:1938-3207