Objective: To assess the effect on the haemoglobin concentrations of schoolchildren of weekly iro... more Objective: To assess the effect on the haemoglobin concentrations of schoolchildren of weekly iron tablets administered by teachers. Design: Sixty schools were randomly assigned to two groups: in 30 schools children were given weekly for 10 weeks a tablet providing 65 mg of iron and 0.25 mg of folic acid; in the other 30 schools no iron tablets were given. All children were dewormed and given vitamin A before the study began. The haemoglobin concentration of up to 20 randomly selected children in each school was estimated before and 2 weeks after the end of treatment. Setting: Rural community schools in Kolondieba district of Mali. Subjects: Some 1113 schoolchildren aged 6-19 years with a mean of 11.4 years. Results: The haemoglobin concentration of treated children rose on average by 1.8 g l 21 ðP , 0:001Þ and the prevalence of anaemia fell by 8.2% ðP , 0:001Þ; in untreated children the haemoglobin concentration fell by an average of 22.7 g l 21 ðP , 0:001Þ and the prevalence of anaemia rose by 9.4% ðP , 0:001Þ. The fall in haemoglobin concentration among untreated girls of 24.0 g l 21 was greater than in untreated boys (20.3 g l 21 , P , 0:001). Conclusions: Weekly iron tablets given by teachers prevented a general fall in the haemoglobin concentrations of untreated children, and led to a small but statistically significant rise among treated children ðP , 0:001Þ. Young children benefited more than children aged $12 years, and girls benefited more than boys.
Objective: To assess the effect on the haemoglobin concentrations of schoolchildren of weekly iro... more Objective: To assess the effect on the haemoglobin concentrations of schoolchildren of weekly iron tablets administered by teachers. Design: Sixty schools were randomly assigned to two groups: in 30 schools children were given weekly for 10 weeks a tablet providing 65 mg of iron and 0.25 mg of folic acid; in the other 30 schools no iron tablets were given. All children were dewormed and given vitamin A before the study began. The haemoglobin concentration of up to 20 randomly selected children in each school was estimated before and 2 weeks after the end of treatment. Setting: Rural community schools in Kolondieba district of Mali. Subjects: Some 1113 schoolchildren aged 6-19 years with a mean of 11.4 years. Results: The haemoglobin concentration of treated children rose on average by 1.8 g l 21 ðP , 0:001Þ and the prevalence of anaemia fell by 8.2% ðP , 0:001Þ; in untreated children the haemoglobin concentration fell by an average of 22.7 g l 21 ðP , 0:001Þ and the prevalence of anaemia rose by 9.4% ðP , 0:001Þ. The fall in haemoglobin concentration among untreated girls of 24.0 g l 21 was greater than in untreated boys (20.3 g l 21 , P , 0:001). Conclusions: Weekly iron tablets given by teachers prevented a general fall in the haemoglobin concentrations of untreated children, and led to a small but statistically significant rise among treated children ðP , 0:001Þ. Young children benefited more than children aged $12 years, and girls benefited more than boys.
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