Scaling up Small-Scale Food Processing to Promote Food Security Among Women Farmers in Rural Vietnam

Completed

• Conditions: Anemia; Stunting; Food Insecurity; Wasting; Underweight

• Registration Number: NCT03847662
• Lead Sponsor: National Institute of Nutrition, Vietnam

Brief Summary

This repeated measures, cluster randomized, cohort trial design was carried out in three provinces in the northern mountainous area of Vietnam. Communes here were randomly selected for community based interventions with local production complimentary foods and marketing and distribution of fortified complimentary foods.

Detailed Description

In rural northern Vietnam, childhood stunting rates are high. In Lào Cai province, female subsistence farmers grow crops, but face barriers sending produce to markets. The present intervention purchases local crops from local women subsistence farmers which are processed in local small-scale food processing facilities to produce instant fortified complementary foods for weaning.

Methods: A repeated measures survey was conducted from October to November 2016, with Caregiver-Child(\<2y) pairs (n=800) in the provinces of Lai Chau, Lao Cai and Ha Giang. Anthropometric data of mother/child dyads was assessed and logistic regression analysis of stunted and underweight children explored associated factors. These included: core infant and young child feeding practices indicators, food insecurity, antenatal care check-ups, core water/sanitation, anemia and hygiene indicators.

This project leveraged the experience of the National Institute of Nutrition of Vietnam to ensure HACCP standards during manufacture. Locally grown rice was combined with a Zn/Fe premix before extrusion and hammer-milling. Local vegetables such as: "Sweet leaf" (Sauropus androgynous), pumpkin, Shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) and carrots were made into complimentary foods and sold locally.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2016-11-03
• Primary Completion: 2018-06-05
• Study Completion: 2018-06-05
• Study First Submitted: 2018-11-07
• Status Verified: 2019-02
• Study First Submitted QC: 2019-02-18
• Last Update Submitted: 2019-02-18
• Study First Posted: 2019-02-20
• Last Update Posted: 2019-02-20

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 799

Inclusion Criteria

• Child participants must be younger than 2y at baseline.
• Caregivers must volunteer and were required to give informed written consent

Exclusion Criteria

• Free from oedema
• Free from physical and mental disabilities
• Free from memory disorders and/or mental illness

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Household Food Insecurity Access Scale	Nov 2016-June 2018	Score from 1-27 indicating household food Insecurity. Where higher scores indicate greater food insecurity. This was taken at the beginning of intervention in Nov 2016 till completion in June 2018.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Weight in kilograms	Nov 2016-June 2018	Stunting (Height-for-age Z score \<-2SD), Underweight (Weight-for-age Z score\<-2SD), Wasting (Weight-for-height Z score\<-2SD) compared with World Health Organization's growth charts.
Height in Meters	Nov 2016-June 2018	Stunting (Height-for-age Z score \<-2SD), Underweight (Weight-for-age Z score\<-2SD), Wasting (Weight-for-height Z score\<-2SD) compared with World Health Organization's growth charts.
Age in Months	Nov 2016-June 2018	Stunting (Height-for-age Z score \<-2SD), Underweight (Weight-for-age Z score\<-2SD), Wasting (Weight-for-height Z score\<-2SD) compared with World Health Organization's growth charts.
Hemoglobin Levels of Children (<2y)	Nov 2016-June 2018	Hemoglobin levels among Children participants assessed by finger prick blood sampling.