Effects of dietary intervention on vitamin B12 status and cognitive level of 18-month-old toddlers in high-poverty areas: a cluster-randomized controlled trial.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:The local diet in high-poverty areas in China is mainly vegetarian, and children may be more vulnerable to vitamin B12 deficiency. OBJECTIVE:The aims of this study were to explore the vitamin B12 status of toddlers living in high-poverty areas of China and to observe the effects of different complementary foods on the vitamin B12 status and cognitive level of these toddlers. METHODS:The study was nested within a cluster-randomized controlled trial implemented in 60 administrative villages (clusters) of Xichou County in which infants aged 6?months old were randomized to receive 50?g/d of pork (meat group), an equi-caloric fortified cereal supplement (fortified cereal group) or local cereal supplement (local cereal group) for one year. At 18?months, a subsample of the 180 toddlers (60 from each group) was randomly tested for serum vitamin B12 and total homocysteine (tHcy) levels, and their neurodevelopment was evaluated. RESULTS:The median serum concentrations of vitamin B12 and tHcy were 360.0?pg/mL and 8.2??mol/L, respectively, in children aged 18?months. Serum vitamin B12 concentrations less than 300?pg/mL were found in 62 (34.4%) children, and concentrations less than 200?pg/mL were found in 30 (16.7%) children. The median vitamin B12 concentration was significantly different among the three groups (P?
SUBMITTER: Sheng X
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6743151 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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