Efficacy of Multiple Micronutrient Fortified Biscuits and Deworming on Reducing Anemia Prevalence, and Improving Micronutrient Status, Cognitive Function, and Growth in Vietnamese School Children

Concurrent micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent in schoolchildren in Vietnam. These deficiencies not only lead to anemia, impair growth, increase susceptibility to infection, impair work capacity, but also impair cognitive development and impair learning ability. The risk of micronutrient deficiencies and anemia increases when individuals are exposed to intestinal helminth infections. Schoolchildren are a neglected group with regard to micronutrient interventions, and school programs afford an excellent opportunity to improve health of these groups. Food fortification with multi-micronutrients is a cost-effective and sustainable strategy, but is not yet implemented on a large scale in Vietnam. Furthermore, little is known about whether high prevalence of intestinal helminthic infection in schoolchildren limits the effect of fortification when this is not combined with regular de-worming.