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Lookup NU author(s): Professor Georg Lietz
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Copyright: © 2024 Engle-Stone et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. INTRODUCTION: Micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent in West Africa, particularly among women of reproductive age (WRA) and young children. Bouillon is a promising food fortification vehicle due to its widespread consumption. This study aims to evaluate the impact of multiple micronutrient-fortified bouillon cubes, compared to control bouillon cubes (fortified with iodine only), on micronutrient status and hemoglobin concentrations among lactating and non-lactating WRA and young children in northern Ghana. METHODS: This randomized, controlled doubly-masked trial will be conducted in the Kumbungu and Tolon districts in the Northern Region of Ghana, where prior data indicate multiple micronutrient deficiencies are common. Participants will be: 1) non-pregnant non-lactating WRA (15-49 y), 2) children 2-5 y, and 3) non-pregnant lactating women 4-18 months postpartum. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to receive household rations of one of two types of bouillon cubes: 1) a multiple micronutrient-fortified bouillon cube containing vitamin A, folic acid, vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and iodine, or 2) a control cube containing iodine only. Each participant's household will receive a ration of bouillon cubes every 2 weeks, and households will be advised to prepare meals as usual, using the study-provided cubes. The trial duration will be 9 months for non-pregnant non-lactating WRA and children, and 3 months for lactating women. The primary outcomes will be changes in biomarkers of micronutrient status and hemoglobin among WRA and children and milk micronutrient concentrations among lactating women. Secondary outcomes will include change in prevalence of micronutrient deficiency and anemia; dietary intake of bouillon and micronutrients; inflammation, malaria, and morbidity symptoms; and child growth and development. DISCUSSION: Evidence from this study will inform discussions about bouillon fortification in Ghana and West Africa. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05178407) and the Pan-African Clinical Trial Registry (PACTR202206868437931). This manuscript reflects protocol version 4 (August 29, 2022).
Author(s): Engle-Stone R, Wessells KR, Haskell MJ, Kumordzie SM, Arnold CD, Davis JN, Becher ER, Fuseini AD, Nyaaba KW, Tan X, Adams KP, Lietz G, Vosti SA, Adu-Afarwuah S
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: PLoS ONE
Year: 2024
Volume: 19
Issue: 5
Online publication date: 06/05/2024
Acceptance date: 08/04/2024
Date deposited: 20/05/2024
ISSN (electronic): 1932-6203
Publisher: Public Library of Science
URL: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0302968
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302968
PubMed id: 38709803
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