Objective: Ready to eat fried liver meat balls (LMB) were developed to fight anaemia and vitamin A deficiency and promote cognitive function.
Design: Randomised controlled trial consisting of two arms: control group with no supplement and LMB group receiving LMB supplement three times a week for 90 d. Criteria of evaluations included dietary assessment, anthropometric measurements, laboratory investigations and cognitive function by Wechsler test.
Setting: Kinder Garten and primary school in Urban Giza.
Participants: Sixty boys and girls aging 3-9 years.
Results: The LMB supplement contributed to significant increases in the intakes of high bioavailable Fe and vitamin A in the diets of all children. Initial overall prevalence of mild and moderate anaemia was 43 %, which disappeared completely from all children aging < 72 months and from 88 % of children ≥ 72 months after the 90 d dietary intervention with the LMB. Faecal systemic immune globulin A, urinary hydroxyproline index and urinary iodine excretion increased significantly (P < 0·05) only after the dietary intervention with the LMB supplement for 90 d. The standard scores of verbal and non-verbal cognitive function tests (Δ day 90-day 0) increased significantly (P < 0·05) among the LMB group compared with the respective changes observed among the control group. The increase in height-for-age Z score and blood Hb were good predictors for improvement in cognitive function.
Conclusion: LMB supplement is effective sustainable nutritious biotherapeutic food in fighting hidden hunger and promoting the cognitive function.
Keywords: Anaemia; Cognitive function; Egyptian children 3–9 years; Ready to eat liver meat balls; Systemic Ig A; Urinary hydroxyl proline index; Vitamin A deficiency.