Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA)IRSA-RCTNCT07798440
Iron-Rich Snack Intervention for Anemia in Adolescent Girls
A study testing Iron Rich Bars in people with Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA), run by University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore - Pakistan at 1 site in Pakistan.
Trial summary
This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of iron-rich snacks in combating anemia among adolescent girls. The study will involve 100 girls aged 16-18 years with mild anemia (Hb 11-11.9 g/dL), randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 16 to 18 years, women only
- Conditions the study is for
- Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA)
- What is being tested?
- Iron Rich Bars
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 100 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePakistan
- Study dates
- 28 Aug 2026to 28 Jan 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
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 16 to 18 years
- Women only
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- Adolescent girls aged 16-18 years
- Have mild iron deficiency anemia (Hb=11-11.9g/dl)
- Enrolled in selected colleges in Lahore
- Willing to participate for 3 months
- Available for baseline and post-intervention assessment
Who cannot join
- Moderate and severe iron deficiency anemia requiring medical treatment
- Currently taking iron supplements
- Allergy to ingredients in iron rich balls
- Having chronic GIT disorders
- Pregnant or lactating
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Pakistan1 site
University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences
Lahore, Punjab Province, 54000
University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore, +924299211374, webmaster@uvas.edu.pk
Arfa Nasir, Mphil Food and Nutrition
About this study
Official title: Combating Anemia Through Iron Rich Snack Among Adolescent Girls: A Randomized Controlled Trial
This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of iron-rich snacks in combating anemia among adolescent girls. The study will involve 100 girls aged 16-18 years with mild anemia (Hb 11-11.9 g/dL), randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group will consume two 25-g iron-rich bars daily for 12 weeks, while the control group will continue their regular diet. Hemoglobin and anemia status will be assessed to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. Data will be analyzed using SPSS, with p ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant.
- Conditions
- Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA)
- Being tested
- Iron Rich Bars
- Keywords
- Anemia, Iron rich snack, Adolescent girls, Hemoglobin, Randomized controlled trial
- 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 Rich BarsDietary supplement
The proposed iron-rich bar differs from previous interventions through its unique combination of locally available sesame seeds, roasted chickpeas, jaggery, and fenugreek, providing 2.9 mg iron per 25 g bar without pharmaceutical iron fortification. It is a low-cost, culturally acceptable, easy-to-prepare food-based intervention specifically designed for adolescent girls and combined with nutrition education.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention Arm | Active comparator | Participants will receive two 25g iron-rich balls daily for 12 weeks Receives: Dietary Supplement: Iron Rich Bars |
| Control arm | No intervention | Participants will continue their regular diet for 12 weeks |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Hemoglobin Level (Hb)
Change in hemoglobin concentration (g/dL) from baseline to the end of the intervention comparing the iron-rich snack group with the control group by using Sahli's hemoglobinometer.
Measured: 12 weeks
Secondary outcomes (1)
Anemia status
Anemia status assessed by Hb concentration (g/dl) using Sahli's hemoglobinometer, according to WHO 2024 criteria, cutoff of <12.0g/dl for anemia in non pregnant females aged 15-65 years, mild anemia 11.0-11.9 g/dl, moderate anemia 8.0-10.9 g/dl, and severe anemia <8.0 g/dl.
Measured: 12 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted1 Sep 2026
- Study start28 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion28 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion28 Jan 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA)Studies 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
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore - Pakistan
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Qaisar Raza, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore - Pakistan
- Investigators
- Dr. Qaisar Raza, Phd, Principal investigator, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07798440
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 453/IRC/BMR
- Acronym
- IRSA-RCT
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 24 Aug 2026
- Last updated
- 1 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data will not be shared with other researchers due to participant confidentially and privacy considerations. Only aggregated, de-identified study results will be reported and shared.
Publications
Ali SA, Razzaq S, Aziz S, Allana A, Ali AA, Naeem S, Khowaja N, Ur Rehman F. Role of iron in the reduction of anemia among women of reproductive age in low-middle income countries: insights from systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Womens Health. 2023 Apr 17;23(1):184. doi: 10.1186/s12905-023-02291-6.
PubMed 37069552