Sprinkles to assist in the management of iron deficiency in indigenous children

Heinz, through the Heinz Foundation's Micronutrient Campaign to help prevent iron deficiency in children in developing countries (1), is supplying Sprinkles to the Fred Hollows Foundation and the Northern Territory Department of Health for a 3 year trial program to assist in the management of anaemia in Aborignal children from 6 communities in the Northern Territory.

While Sprinkles may sound like something sweet and colourful you'd use to decorate a cake, it is actually a powdered iron and vitamin and mineral supplement.  Packaged in single serve sachets, it can be easily mixed with an infant/young child's food without affecting the food's appearance, taste and texture. It was developed in 1996 by Canadian researcher Dr Stanley Zlotkin with the support of the Heinz Foundation as a way of assisting to combat global iron deficiency in children. Research has shown Sprinkles to be an effective strategy to assist in the management of iron and vitamin and mineral deficiencies (2) and has the support of the World Health Organisation.

In the Northern Territory, iron deficiency affects between 27-50% of young children aged between 6 months and 5 years. Iron deficiency adversely affects brain growth with resultant affects on the child's intellectual, motor and behavioural development. The current preventative strategy of administering iron tablets and giving intramuscular injections of iron has failed to reduce the incidence of iron deficiency and anaemia.

In 2007, the Fred Hollows Foundation (www.hollows.org.au) together with the Northern Territory Department of Community Health, UNICEF and four Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Boards conducted research amongst aboriginal communities about the possibility of using Sprinkles to assist in the management of iron deficiency/anaemia (3). The research found support for the use of Sprinkles  and recommended that a pilot program of supplementing children aged 6-24 months be undertaken. In conjunction with the Sprinkles supplement, families and the community will be provided with nutrition information on feeding infants and young children. Heinz as part of their philanthropic contribution is supplying Sprinkles for the program. The outcomes from the the pilot program will be used to make policy for the furture management and prevention of iron deficiency. If successful, it will be rolled out to more communities in the Northern Territory and other states.

References.

1. Heinz Micronutrient Campaign http://www.heinz.com/sustainability.aspx/heinz-micronutrient-campaign.aspx

2. Menon P, Ruel MT et al. Micronutrient Sprinkles reduce anaemia among 9 to 24 month old children when delivered through an integrated health and nutrition program in rural Haiti. J. Nutr 2007;137:1023-1030

3. Fred Hollows Foundation, Northern Territory Government, UNICEF. Community consultation on home micronutrient supplementation of 'Sprinkles' for indigenous children in the Northern Territory 2007  http://www.hollows.org/Assets/Files/SprinklesReportforWeb.pdf

 

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