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The last sentence of the Results section of the Abstract should read as follows: "The intervention had no effect on anthropometric status." The Conclusions section of the Abstract should read as follows: "Fortified biscuits resulted in a significant improvement in the micronutrient status of primary school children from a poor rural community and also appeared to have a favorable effect on morbidity and cognitive function."

The revised abstract is printed here in its entirety:

ABSTRACT

Background:
Deficiencies of iron, iodine, and vitamin A are prevalent worldwide and can affect the mental development and learning ability of schoolchildren.

Objective:
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of micronutrient-fortified biscuits on the micronutrient status of primary school children.

Design:
Micronutrient status was assessed in 115 children aged 6–11 y before and after consumption of biscuits (fortified with iron, iodine, and ß-carotene) for 43 wk over a 12-mo period and was compared with that in a control group (n = 113) who consumed nonfortified biscuits. Cognitive function, growth, and morbidity were assessed as secondary outcomes.

Results:
There was a significant between-group treatment effect on serum retinol, serum ferritin, serum iron, transferrin saturation, and urinary iodine (P < 0.0001) and in hemoglobin and hematocrit (P < 0.05). The prevalence of low serum retinol concentrations (<0.70 µmol/L) decreased from 39.1% to 12.2%, of low serum ferritin concentrations (<20 µg/L) from 27.8% to 13.9%, of anemia (hemoglobin <120 g/L) from 29.6% to 15.6%, and of low urinary iodine concentrations (<100 µg/L) from 97.5% to 5.4%. There was a significant between-group treatment effect (P < 0.05) in cognitive function with the digit span forward task (short-term memory). Fewer school days were missed in the intervention than in the control group because of respiratory- (P = 0.097) and diarrhea-related (P = 0.013) illnesses. The intervention had no effect on anthropometric status.

Conclusions:
Fortified biscuits resulted in a significant improvement in the micronutrient status of primary school children from a poor rural community and also appeared to have a favorable effect on morbidity and cognitive function.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Liu, A. Raine, P. H. Venables, C. Dalais, and S. A. Mednick Malnutrition at Age 3 Years and Lower Cognitive Ability at Age 11 Years: Independence From Psychosocial Adversity Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, June 1, 2003; 157(6): 593 - 600. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This Article Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content