Iron Deficiency and AnemiaNCT02152150
Feeding Trial of Bio-fortified Pearl Millet
A study testing Iron bio-fortified pearl millet in people with Iron Deficiency and Anemia, run by Cornell University at 1 site in India.
Trial summary
The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of iron bio-fortified pearl millet in improving iron status in adolescents in India. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 12 to 16 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Iron Deficiency and Anemia
- What is being tested?
- Iron bio-fortified pearl millet
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 246 participants
- Where
- 1 siteIndia
- Study dates
- Sep 2011to Mar 2012
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 12 to 16 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Who may be able to join
- Participants are individuals aged 12 to 16 years
- Attending boarding schools in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, India
Who cannot join
- Severe anemia (Hemoglobin<8.5g/dL)
- Taking iron supplements or medications that could interfere with iron absorption
- Chronic illnesses
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Efficacy of Iron Bio-fortified Pearl Millet in Improving the Iron Status of Adolescents in India
The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of iron bio-fortified pearl millet in improving iron status in adolescents in India.
Read the detailed description
An estimated 1.6 billion people worldwide are anemic, and iron deficiency (ID) is the leading cause of anemia. Its prevalence is highest in resource-limited settings, and among children and women of reproductive age. Even mild ID can adversely impact cognitive performance, behavior, and physical growth of children, and physical work and cognitive performance in adults.
Interventions to target micronutrient malnutrition such as dietary diversification, micronutrient supplementation, and food fortification have reduced ID, but have not been universally successful. Biofortification, the process of increasing the concentration and bioavailability of essential nutrients in staple crops by traditional plant breeding, is a sustainable and cost-effective approach to combat micronutrient deficiencies. Other forms of bio-fortification (agronomic management and genetic modification) are also feasible. Rice, maize, wheat, pearl millet, sweet potato, beans, and cassava have been the main target crops of bio-fortification.
Pearl millet (PM) is a primary staple food in India, particularly in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. The high pearl millet consumption and availability of a recently released pearl millet variety (ICTP 8203-Fe) with significantly greater iron content provided an opportunity to evaluate its efficacy on improving iron status in human populations. We hypothesized that daily consumption of iron bio-fortified pearl millet (Fe-PM) would improve iron status in six months. We conducted a randomized efficacy trial of iron bio-fortified pearl millet in improving iron status in adolescents in Maharashtra, India.
The aims of this study are:
- To determine if the iron status of adolescent boys and girls in rural Maharashtra is improved by consuming high-iron bio-fortified PM
- To determine if adolescents in rural Maharashtra consuming high-iron bio-fortified PM exhibit higher physical performance and energetic work efficiency compared to adolescent boys and girls consuming low-iron pearl millet.
- To determine if adolescents in rural Maharashtra consuming high-iron bio-fortified PM exhibit higher cognitive and perceptual functioning, as well as differences in patterns of cortical activation' when compared to children consuming low-iron pearl millet.
The principal hypotheses to be tested are that in an intervention study using iron bio-fortified PM with the highest possible levels of iron content in comparison to a low-iron control:
- Iron bio-fortified PM consumed as a dietary iron intervention will improve the iron status of iron deficient adolescents
- Iron bio-fortified PM consumed as a dietary iron intervention will improve the physical performance of iron deficient adolescents
- Iron bio-fortified PM as an iron intervention will improve the cognitive and perceptual functioning of iron deficient adolescents
The long-term goal of this study is to show that iron bio-fortification of PM is an efficacious and potentially effective strategy for addressing iron deficiency in developing countries.
- Conditions
- Iron Deficiency and Anemia
- Being tested
- Iron bio-fortified pearl millet, Control pearl millet
- Keywords
- iron, anemia, bio-fortification, children, India
- Medical subject headings
- Anemia, Iron-Deficiency, Anemia
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Iron bio-fortified pearl milletOther
Pearl millet variety ICTP8203-Fe (82 mg/kg iron content) prepared as a traditional flatbread (bhakri)
Control pearl milletOther
Conventional pearl millet: variety DG9444 (22 mg/kg iron content) and JKBH778 (52 mg/kg iron content), prepared as a traditional flatbread (bhakri)
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Iron bio-fortified pearl millet | Experimental | Pearl millet variety ICTP8203-Fe (82 mg/kg iron content) Receives: Other: Iron bio-fortified pearl millet |
| Control pearl millet | Active comparator | Conventional pearl millet: variety DG9444 (22 mg/kg iron content) and JKBH778 (52 mg/kg iron content) Receives: Other: Control pearl millet |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in iron status
Hemoglobin, serum ferritin, serum transferrin receptor, body iron
Measured: 6 months
Secondary outcomes (2)
Differences in cognitive function
Five tests of perceptual and cognitive performance: i) the simple reaction time task; ii) the go-nogo task; iii) the attentional network task; iv) the composite face task; and v) the cued recognition memory task.
Approximately 1/2 of participants performed these tasks with concurrent recording of electroencephelography (EEG).
Measured: 6 months
Differences in physical performance
- estimation of maximal oxygen consumption, ii) determination of energy expenditure and work efficiency at modest levels of exertion, and iii) determination of time spent at 3 levels of physical exertion while performing normal daily activities.
Measured: 6 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted2 Jun 2014 (estimated)
- Study startSep 2011
- Primary completionMar 2012
- Study completionMar 2012
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (3)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Iron Deficiency and AnemiaStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 246 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Cornell University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- SNDT Women's University
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Jere D. Haas, Ph.D., Principal investigator, Cornell UniversityShobha Udipi, Ph.D., Principal investigator, SNDT Women's University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02152150
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB #: 1107002349
- Status last verified
- May 2014
- First submitted
- 13 May 2014
- Last updated
- 2 Jun 2014
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
Publications
Wenger MJ, Murray Kolb LE, Scott SP, Boy E, Haas JD. Modeling relationships between iron status, behavior, and brain electrophysiology: evidence from a randomized study involving a biofortified grain in Indian adolescents. BMC Public Health. 2022 Jul 6;22(1):1299. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-13612-z.
PubMed 35794587Scott SP, Murray-Kolb LE, Wenger MJ, Udipi SA, Ghugre PS, Boy E, Haas JD. Cognitive Performance in Indian School-Going Adolescents Is Positively Affected by Consumption of Iron-Biofortified Pearl Millet: A 6-Month Randomized Controlled Efficacy Trial. J Nutr. 2018 Sep 1;148(9):1462-1471. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxy113.
PubMed 30016516Finkelstein JL, Mehta S, Udipi SA, Ghugre PS, Luna SV, Wenger MJ, Murray-Kolb LE, Przybyszewski EM, Haas JD. A Randomized Trial of Iron-Biofortified Pearl Millet in School Children in India. J Nutr. 2015 Jul;145(7):1576-81. doi: 10.3945/jn.114.208009. Epub 2015 May 6.
PubMed 25948782
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 2 Jun 2014. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Efficacy of Iron Bio-fortified Pearl Millet in Improving the Iron Status of Adolescents in India
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02152150
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRB #: 1107002349
- Conditions
- Iron Deficiency and Anemia
- Keywords
- iron, anemia, bio-fortification, children, India
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 246 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Cornell UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- SNDT Women's University
- Study start
- Sep 2011
- Primary completion
- Mar 2012 (actual)
- Study completion
- Mar 2012 (actual)
- First posted
- 2 Jun 2014 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of iron bio-fortified pearl millet in improving iron status in adolescents in India.
Detailed description
An estimated 1.6 billion people worldwide are anemic, and iron deficiency (ID) is the leading cause of anemia. Its prevalence is highest in resource-limited settings, and among children and women of reproductive age. Even mild ID can adversely impact cognitive performance, behavior, and physical growth of children, and physical work and cognitive performance in adults.
Interventions to target micronutrient malnutrition such as dietary diversification, micronutrient supplementation, and food fortification have reduced ID, but have not been universally successful. Biofortification, the process of increasing the concentration and bioavailability of essential nutrients in staple crops by traditional plant breeding, is a sustainable and cost-effective approach to combat micronutrient deficiencies. Other forms of bio-fortification (agronomic management and genetic modification) are also feasible. Rice, maize, wheat, pearl millet, sweet potato, beans, and cassava have been the main target crops of bio-fortification.
Pearl millet (PM) is a primary staple food in India, particularly in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. The high pearl millet consumption and availability of a recently released pearl millet variety (ICTP 8203-Fe) with significantly greater iron content provided an opportunity to evaluate its efficacy on improving iron status in human populations. We hypothesized that daily consumption of iron bio-fortified pearl millet (Fe-PM) would improve iron status in six months. We conducted a randomized efficacy trial of iron bio-fortified pearl millet in improving iron status in adolescents in Maharashtra, India.
The aims of this study are:
- To determine if the iron status of adolescent boys and girls in rural Maharashtra is improved by consuming high-iron bio-fortified PM
- To determine if adolescents in rural Maharashtra consuming high-iron bio-fortified PM exhibit higher physical performance and energetic work efficiency compared to adolescent boys and girls consuming low-iron pearl millet.
- To determine if adolescents in rural Maharashtra consuming high-iron bio-fortified PM exhibit higher cognitive and perceptual functioning, as well as differences in patterns of cortical activation' when compared to children consuming low-iron pearl millet.
The principal hypotheses to be tested are that in an intervention study using iron bio-fortified PM with the highest possible levels of iron content in comparison to a low-iron control:
- Iron bio-fortified PM consumed as a dietary iron intervention will improve the iron status of iron deficient adolescents
- Iron bio-fortified PM consumed as a dietary iron intervention will improve the physical performance of iron deficient adolescents
- Iron bio-fortified PM as an iron intervention will improve the cognitive and perceptual functioning of iron deficient adolescents
The long-term goal of this study is to show that iron bio-fortification of PM is an efficacious and potentially effective strategy for addressing iron deficiency in developing countries.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Iron bio-fortified pearl millet | Experimental | Other: Iron bio-fortified pearl milletPearl millet variety ICTP8203-Fe (82 mg/kg iron content) |
| Control pearl millet | Active comparator | Other: Control pearl milletConventional pearl millet: variety DG9444 (22 mg/kg iron content) and JKBH778 (52 mg/kg iron content) |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 12 to 16 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Participants are individuals aged 12 to 16 years
- Attending boarding schools in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, India
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Severe anemia (Hemoglobin<8.5g/dL)
- Taking iron supplements or medications that could interfere with iron absorption
- Chronic illnesses
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Iron bio-fortified pearl milletPearl millet variety ICTP8203-Fe (82 mg/kg iron content) prepared as a traditional flatbread (bhakri) | Other | Iron bio-fortified pearl millet |
| Control pearl milletConventional pearl millet: variety DG9444 (22 mg/kg iron content) and JKBH778 (52 mg/kg iron content), prepared as a traditional flatbread (bhakri) | Other | Control pearl millet |
Primary outcome
Change in iron status
Time frame: 6 months
Hemoglobin, serum ferritin, serum transferrin receptor, body iron
2 secondary outcomes
Differences in cognitive function
Time frame: 6 months
Differences in physical performance
Time frame: 6 months
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 2 Jun 2014.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 35794587Wenger MJ, Murray Kolb LE, Scott SP, Boy E, Haas JD. Modeling relationships between iron status, behavior, and brain electrophysiology: evidence from a randomized study involving a biofortified grain in Indian adolescents. BMC Public Health. 2022 Jul 6;22(1):1299. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-13612-z.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 30016516Scott SP, Murray-Kolb LE, Wenger MJ, Udipi SA, Ghugre PS, Boy E, Haas JD. Cognitive Performance in Indian School-Going Adolescents Is Positively Affected by Consumption of Iron-Biofortified Pearl Millet: A 6-Month Randomized Controlled Efficacy Trial. J Nutr. 2018 Sep 1;148(9):1462-1471. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxy113.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 25948782Finkelstein JL, Mehta S, Udipi SA, Ghugre PS, Luna SV, Wenger MJ, Murray-Kolb LE, Przybyszewski EM, Haas JD. A Randomized Trial of Iron-Biofortified Pearl Millet in School Children in India. J Nutr. 2015 Jul;145(7):1576-81. doi: 10.3945/jn.114.208009. Epub 2015 May 6.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Jere D. Haas, Ph.D. principal investigator
Cornell University
Shobha Udipi, Ph.D. principal investigator
SNDT Women's University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Iron bio-fortified pearl millet in people with Iron Deficiency and Anemia, run by Cornell University at 1 site in India.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Jun 2014. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in India. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in iron status (time frame: 6 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02152150, which also lists 3 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 2 Jun 2014; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 8 Nov 2026.