Effect of a six-month iron-zinc fortified milk supplementation on nutritional status, physical capacity and speed learning process in Indonesian underweight schoolchildren: randomized, placebo-controlled.

Aim to evaluated the effect of milk supplementation enriched with iron and zinc on indicators of growth, physical capacity and cognitive performance in underweight school-children. Method Two-armed, randomized controlled double-blind trial was performed in several primary schools in Jakarta and Surakarta, Indonesia. A total of 245 underweight schoolchildren aged 7-9 years living in urban poor areas of Jakarta and Solo were randomly allocated to receive two cups of iron-zinc fortifi ed-milk (n = 121) or non-iron-zinc fortifi ed milk (n= 124) supplementation daily for six months. Biochemical indicators, anthropometric indices, physical capacity and cognitive performance were measured at before and after the supplementation. Results The study shows that between the fortifi ed and non-fortifi ed milk group, there was no signifi cant different in haemoglobin increase (0.01 + 0.96 mg/dL versus 0.17 + 0.81 mg/dL) nor serum ferritin increase (12.77 + 25.50 mcg/dL versus 14.99 + 29.56 mcg/dL). Unexpectedly, decreased in serum zinc was found in both groups (3.01 + 3.24 mMol/dL and 3.12 + 3.71 mMol/dL). There was signifi cant higher increment (P=0.045) in body weight among the fortifi ed milk group (1.31 + 0.69 kg) as compared to the non-fortifi ed group (1.13 + 0.69 kg). Consistently, there was signifi cant increase (P=0.025) in the indicator of underweight (WAZ) among the fortifi ed milk group (1.47 + 0.50) as compared to the non-fortifi ed group (1.33 + 0.47). There was signifi cant improvement (P=0.001) of cognitive performance, i.e. coding test-score among the fortifi ed group (12.74 + 11.76) as compared to the non-fortifi ed group (8.31 + 9.60), but there was no signifi cant difference found in the improvement of physical capacity score in both groups (10323.77 + 9253.83 versus 8435.94 + 8824.55). Conclusion Among underweight schoolchildren aged 7-9 y, supplementation of milk fortifi ed with iron and zinc can provide better growth, and better speed processing of learning ability.

The effects of phytosterol in low fat milk on serum lipid levels among mild-moderately hypercholesterolemic subjects.

One of the most important risk factors for CHD is dyslipidemia, among others hypercholesterolemia or high LDL-cholesterol. Plant-sterols or phytosterols (PS) are among dietary factors known to lower blood cholesterol as part of therapeutic life-style changes diet. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of PS properly solubilized in a-partly vegetable oil-filled low fat milk, on serum lipid levels in mild-moderate hypercholesterolemic subjects. Randomized, two-arm parallel control group trial was conducted at Department of Nutrition-University of Indonesia in Jakarta from June to November 2006. Each subject was randomly assigned to receive dietary life-style changes counseling plus 1.2 g phytosterol/day in low-fat milk (PS-group) or control group receiving the counseling alone for six weeks period. There were no significant changes of serum total and LDL-cholesterol of control group after a six week of dietary counseling (respectively 218.3 ± 18.6 mg/dL to 219.6 ± 24.3 mg/dL and 164.7±21.8 mg/dL to 160.0±26.4 mg/dL). There were a significant decreases of serum total and LDL-cholesterol (respectively p=0.01 and p=0.004) among subjects receiving PS after a six weeks observation period (respectively 233.5±24.6 mg/dL to 211.2±30.3 mg/dL and 176.9±24.7 mg/dL to 154.5±24.3 mg/dL). There was a significant difference in the LDL-lowering effects (p=0.024) among the PS-group after a six weeks (22.4±27.9 mg/dL) as compared to the control group (4.7±17.2 mg/dL). No significant changes were found on serum HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels in both groups. Although there was no significant difference found in daily nutrients intake between the-2 groups, however, significant reductions in body weight, body mass index and waist circumference were found only in the PS group (p=0.000; 0.000; 0.003, respectively). It is concluded that the lowering of total and LDL-cholesterol in those receiving life-style changes counseling plus 1.2 g PS daily for six weeks was significantly higher as compared to those of receiving counseling alone.