Chennai:
In a bid to reduce maternal and child anaemia in India, doctors in Bangalore are developing an iron-fortified biscuit for use by pregnant women that is indistinguishable in taste from popular Indian biscuits. Following successful trials that will continue for two years, the biscuits will be available across the country.
The $270,000 project, funded by Grand Challenges Canada, through the Canadian government with the Development Innovation Fund, is developed by St John’s Research Institute, CBCI Society for Medical Education, Bangalore.
The biscuit is being developed as an alternative to the pill which women refuse to take as it tastes metallic, a Grand Challenges Canada statement said.
Anaemia, a low level of red blood cells causing a body’s reduced capacity to carry oxygen results from micro-nutrient deficiencies, most often iron.
India has one of the highest rates of anaemia globally. Over 79 per cent of children aged 6 to 8 months and 58 per cent of the 26 million pregnant women are anaemic.
Dr Pratibha Dwarkanath of CBCI Society for Medical Education states that their new biscuit is more likely to be used by previously non-adherent pregnant women, and increase iron stores in newborns, which translates to more sustainable and protected early brain development among children.
After extensive consumer research, the nutrition team led by Dr A V Kurpad and the project collaborators, New York-based Violet Health Inc have developed several prototypes specifically designed with the tastes and preferences of pregnant women in India, she says.
“We estimate our solution to be more cost-effective than the iron pill, while reaching more anaemic women and their children. Usually women don’t like iron pills because of its taste,” she says
“After proof of concept, the trial will continue in Karnataka for two years step by step. After the health ministry’s approval, it will be available across the country,” she adds. Project collaborators include Violet Health, Inc., NY, and the Indian Institute of Management, India Bangalore. Iron deficiency dramatically affects the health of a pregnant woman and her unborn baby, increasing risks of death and sickness during childbirth, including haemorrhage and low-birth weight. Long-term, iron deficiency anaemia delays psychomotor development and impairs cognitive development in infants, preschool and school-aged children around the world.
Moreover, researchers say, the effects of anaemia are, “not likely to be corrected by subsequent iron therapy. Anaemic children will have impaired performance in tests of language skills.”
In a bid to reduce maternal and child anaemia in India, doctors in Bangalore are developing an iron-fortified biscuit for use by pregnant women that is indistinguishable in taste from popular Indian biscuits. Following successful trials that will continue for two years, the biscuits will be available across the country.
The $270,000 project, funded by Grand Challenges Canada, through the Canadian government with the Development Innovation Fund, is developed by St John’s Research Institute, CBCI Society for Medical Education, Bangalore.
The biscuit is being developed as an alternative to the pill which women refuse to take as it tastes metallic, a Grand Challenges Canada statement said.
Anaemia, a low level of red blood cells causing a body’s reduced capacity to carry oxygen results from micro-nutrient deficiencies, most often iron.
India has one of the highest rates of anaemia globally. Over 79 per cent of children aged 6 to 8 months and 58 per cent of the 26 million pregnant women are anaemic.
Dr Pratibha Dwarkanath of CBCI Society for Medical Education states that their new biscuit is more likely to be used by previously non-adherent pregnant women, and increase iron stores in newborns, which translates to more sustainable and protected early brain development among children.
After extensive consumer research, the nutrition team led by Dr A V Kurpad and the project collaborators, New York-based Violet Health Inc have developed several prototypes specifically designed with the tastes and preferences of pregnant women in India, she says.
“We estimate our solution to be more cost-effective than the iron pill, while reaching more anaemic women and their children. Usually women don’t like iron pills because of its taste,” she says
“After proof of concept, the trial will continue in Karnataka for two years step by step. After the health ministry’s approval, it will be available across the country,” she adds. Project collaborators include Violet Health, Inc., NY, and the Indian Institute of Management, India Bangalore. Iron deficiency dramatically affects the health of a pregnant woman and her unborn baby, increasing risks of death and sickness during childbirth, including haemorrhage and low-birth weight. Long-term, iron deficiency anaemia delays psychomotor development and impairs cognitive development in infants, preschool and school-aged children around the world.
Moreover, researchers say, the effects of anaemia are, “not likely to be corrected by subsequent iron therapy. Anaemic children will have impaired performance in tests of language skills.”
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