ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Assess drinking water fortification with iron and/or ascorbic acid as a strategy to control iron-deficiency anemia and iron deficiency. METHODS: Randomized blind clinical study, fortifying drinking water to 153 pre-school children during 3 months, with iron and ascorbic acid (A), ascorbic acid (B) or plain water (C). Hemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and ferritin were measured. RESULTS: Within the groups, Hb raised in all three groups, MCV in A and B and ferritin in A. The difference between time points 0 and 1 was significant between A and B for Hb, when A and B were compared with C for MCV and when A was compared with either B or C for ferritin. CONCLUSIONS: Water fortification is efficient in controlling iron deficiency and anemia. Iron stores' recovery depends on a more effective offer of iron. Water fortification must be preceded by a careful assessment of the previous nutritional status.
Subject(s)
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency/prevention & control , Ascorbic Acid/administration & dosage , Child Day Care Centers , Drinking Water , Food, Fortified , Hemoglobins/analysis , Iron/administration & dosage , Anemia, Iron-Deficiency/epidemiology , Brazil/epidemiology , Child, Preschool , Double-Blind Method , Female , Hemoglobins/drug effects , Humans , Iron Deficiencies , Male , Nutrition Assessment , Nutritional Status , Prevalence , Treatment Outcome , Vitamins/administration & dosageABSTRACT
Anemia and iron deficiency should receive special attention considering their high prevalence and serious consequences. For prevention, globally it is recommended to increase dietary iron intake, iron fortification of industrialized foods, and medical iron supplementation. Food fortification for the prevention of iron deficiency in developing countries should consider carriers locally available and consumed daily, requiring limited infrastructure and technology. Drinking water is the iron carrier we have been working for years for the prevention of iron deficiency and anemia in small children in Brazil. It was shown that studies with iron-fortified drinking water were proved to be effective on children's anemia prevention. Water is found everywhere, consumed daily by everyone may be easily fortified with simple technology, is low priced and was effective on the prevention of children's anemia. Fortification of drinking water with iron was locally implemented with the direct participation of the government and community. Government authorities, health personnel and population were part of the project and responsible for its community implementation. The mayor/municipality permitted and supported the proposal to supply it to children at their day-care centers. To keep the children drinking water iron fortified supply an officially authorized legislation was also approved.
ABSTRACT
Nutrition has a broad, multisectorial identity and coverage. It deals with all mechanisms through which living organisms receive and utilize food nutrients. Nutrition has to be a goal by itself. Although great advances are found in the food and nutrition field, there is still plenty of malnutrition in the world, mainly linked to educational, social and economic problems. Undernutrition is prevalent in the poor countries and inadequate nutrition is responsible for serious social, medical and economic problems in industrialized countries. Genetics, molecular biology, role of vitamins as antioxidants and cancer prevention are some areas of research in nutrition where recent progress has been made. Community nutrition problems, such as the prevention of vitamin A and iron deficiencies, have alternative solutions, as shown by our own laboratories.More and better prepared human resources in nutritional sciences are still a must in the area. Nutrition is, certainly, a key factor to improve quality of life of persons and countries.
Subject(s)
Humans , Nutritional Sciences , Quality of LifeABSTRACT
Se analizan aspectos teóricos y prácticos basados en la experiencia desarrollada en el Hospital de Clínicas de Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, en relación con la alimentación de recién nacidos pretérmino que no pueden ser amamantados directamente. Se subrayan los aspectos controversiales que rodean a esta cuestión, particularmente en lo referente a garantizar el aporte adecuado de energía y nutrientes a estos años, cuyos requerimientos nutricionales y capacidad digestiva difieren de los nacidos a término. Se describen los resultados favorables alcanzados con la organización de bancos de leche humana y con el procesamiento ultrasónico de dicha sustancia, procedimiento éste que facilita la lipólisis al reducir el tamaño de los glóbulos de grasa, lo que también impide los cambios en la composición en nutrientes que pueden ocurrir cuando la leche se administrará por infusión mediante sonda gástrica. Se insiste en la importancia que estas experiencias pueden tener para su aplicación en otros países en desarrollo
Subject(s)
Infant, Newborn , Humans , Enteral Nutrition , Infant, Premature , Milk Banks , Infant Nutrition , Brazil , Developing CountriesABSTRACT
Se analizan aspectos teóricos y prácticos basados en la experiencia desarrollada en el Hospital de Clínicas de Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, en relación con la alimentación de recién nacidos pretérmino que no pueden ser amamantados directamente. Se subrayan los aspectos controversiales que rodean a esta cuestión, particularmente en lo referente a garantizar el aporte adecuado de energía y nutrientes a estos años, cuyos requerimientos nutricionales y capacidad digestiva difieren de los nacidos a término. Se describen los resultados favorables alcanzados con la organización de bancos de leche humana y con el procesamiento ultrasónico de dicha sustancia, procedimiento éste que facilita la lipólisis al reducir el tamaño de los glóbulos de grasa, lo que también impide los cambios en la composición en nutrientes que pueden ocurrir cuando la leche se administrará por infusión mediante sonda gástrica. Se insiste en la importancia que estas experiencias pueden tener para su aplicación en otros países en desarrollo
