Can the supplementary consumption of baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) fruit pulp improve the hemoglobin levels and iron status of schoolchildren in Kenya? Findings of a randomized controlled intervention trial.

Purpose: In the rural Kenyan diet, the bioavailability of iron is low and predisposes the population to iron deficiency. Fruit pulp of the indigenous baobab tree contains significant amounts of vitamin C, which enhances non-heme iron bioavailability. We studied the impact of baobab fruit pulp (BFP) consumption on the hemoglobin (Hb) and iron status of Kenyan schoolchildren.

The Nutritional and Micronutrient Status of Urban Schoolchildren with Moderate Anemia is Better than in a Rural Area in Kenya.

Low diet quality is a driver of general and micronutrient malnutrition in urban and rural areas. The objective was to compare malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies linked to dietary intake among urban and rural schoolchildren from food insecure settings in Kenya. The cross-sectional study was conducted among urban and rural schoolchildren aged 7-9 years.