Efficacy of iron fortified jaggery cubes to improve blood haemoglobin levels of anemic women
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Date
2022
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Punjab Agricultural University
Abstract
The study was carried out to determine iron status of women in reproductive age (15-45y) from low and lower middle-income households of Balachaur, district Nawanshahr, Punjab followed by a supplementation trial of iron fortified jaggery cubes to anemic women for a period of 12 weeks to determine the efficacy of iron fortified jaggery cubes for improving blood iron parameters of the anemic subjects. The subjects (n =100) were divided into two groups on the basis of their age, i.e. Group I (15-30y) and Group II (31-45y).The mean hemoglobin of the subjects was 10.34/dL. Iron deficiency anemia was prevalent in 82.5% of the subjects. Paleness of skin, breathlessness on exertion and fatigue was found in 45-55% of the subjects. Body weight, Body mass index and waist to hip ratio was significantly (≥0.001)higher in older age group, the values were higher than the reference values. The consumption frequency score (out of 10) of ascorbic acid rich fruits i.e. lemon 1.83-2.50;
Orange/kinnow 2.00-2.33; guava 1.90-2.23 and amla 0.25-0.35 was quite low while intake of egg and flesh foods was negligible (CFS 0.10-0.55) The CFS of tea was quite high (7.888.33). CFS of jaggery was much lower (2.13-2.88) in comparison to white sugar (8.15-9.00). The lower daily intake of iron (54.5 to 57.1% of EAR) and ascorbic acid (48.8 53.6% of EAR) showed the need of improving iron content of the diets of women.Higher intake of polyphenols that is probably from high tea consumption in the subjects was significantly but negatively (p = -0.208, -0.195 and -0.211) correlated with blood hemoglobin, PCV and MCHC of the subjects. On the other hand, higher intake of phytates was associated with lower MCHC (r = -0.210). Iron fortified jaggery cubes had 19.9 times higher iron content with significantly (p=0.008) higher in vitro iron bioaccessibility (9.11%) along with higher overall acceptability score (8.2 out 0f 9.0) in comparison to unfortified jaggery. The daily intake of both sugar and jaggery was 18.9-27.25g which offers an opportunity to replace sugar with iron fortified jaggery. The daily supplementation of 25 g of iron fortified jaggery cubes improved the blood Hemoglobin, Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin and Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration by 2.95, 3.09 and 7.27% over the period of 12 weeks, therefore, jaggery fortification with ferrous ammonium citrate salt can be considered an appropriate strategy to reduce iron deficiency anemia among the targeted vulnerable groups.
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Rana, Urvashi (2022). Efficacy of iron fortified jaggery cubes to improve blood haemoglobin levels of anemic women (Unpublished M.Sc. thesis). Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.