Efficacy of iron-folic acid treatment for reducing anemia prevalence and improving iron status in women of reproductive age: A one-year longitudinal study.

Background: Anemia control has hitherto been through prophylaxis with weekly iron folic acid (IFA) in Indian women of reproductive age (WRA). Recently, a more precise approach has been proposed, that uses a 'screen and treat with IFA' approach for anemic WRA, combined with continued prophylactic IFA in non-anemic WRA. The efficacy of this approach was assessed in Indian WRA, along with changes in iron status biomarkers.

Acceptability of Locally Produced Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) in Malnourished Children: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Crossover Study.

Objective: To compare the acceptability of a locally produced ready-to-use therapeutic food (L-RUTF) with the standard ready-to-use therapeutic food (S-RUTF).

Methods: It was a single-center, randomized, double-blind, two-way crossover study. The participants were 6-59-mo-old children residing in an urban slum, with weight-for-height z score (WHZ) < -2SD.

Prevalence of Iron Deficiency and its Sociodemographic Patterning in Indian Children and Adolescents: Findings from the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey 2016-18.

Background: Anemia control programs in India focus mainly on the measurement of hemoglobin in response to iron-folic acid supplementation. However, representative national estimates of iron deficiency (ID) are not available.

Objectives: The objective of the present study was to evaluate ID prevalence among children and adolescents (1-19 y) using nationally representative data and to examine the sociodemographic patterning of ID.

Prevalence of low serum zinc concentrations in Indian children and adolescents: findings from the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey 2016-18.

Background: It is thought that there is a high risk of zinc deficiency in India, but there are no representative national estimates.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the national and state-level prevalence of low serum zinc concentrations (SZCs) in Indian children from the nationally representative Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey.

Methods: Prevalence of low SZC, adjusted for C-reactive protein, was estimated among preschool (1-4 y; n = 7874) and school-age children (5-9 y; n = 10,430) and adolescents (10-19 y; n = 10,140), using SZC cutoffs defined by the International Zinc Nutrition Consultative Group.

Mothers' caregiving resources and practices for children under 5 years in the slums of Hyderabad, India: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The extended care model of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) identifies knowledge/beliefs, nutritional status, mental health, control of resources/autonomy, workload/time constraints and social support as important caregiver resources for childcare. The aim of this paper is to examine the role of mothers' caregiving resources in child-care practices in slums.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 10 slums of Hyderabad, to appraise the caregiving practices and health status of children under 5 years.