Iron fortified fruit bars: A novel intervention to combat anemia in child bearing aged group females

Reduction in blood transport of O2 due to deficiency in red blood cells and iron is known as Anemia. Pakistan NNS- 2011indicated that 51 % non-pregnant women were anemic on the basis of Hb concentration. Child bearing agedfemales are more affected because of menstrual losses, iron malabsorption, basal losses and growth requirements. Risk factors in females could be pregnancy, and nutritional inadequacy.PhD thesis research was conducted at Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Sargodha to doefficacy study of iron fortified fruit bars inanemic University girls. Hostel availing females were approached from different departments of University, after DRCE approval, the research work was discussed with them in detail and information, education and communication (IEC) material were provided and informed consent was taken from agreed ones. Selected the anemic girls on basis of hematological identification of anemia iron at baseline, fortified fruit bars(with natural as well as synthetic salt based) were intervened along with placebo bars for 90 days, results were collected after 2nd hematological analyses at end line, interpreted the data through statistical analyses, then it was concluded that placebo had negating effect, though synthetic salt FeSO4.7H2O fortified fruit bars showed positive results but naturally iron fortified bars(powdered Mentha spicata L. and ground apricot kernel of Prunus armeniacaL,) had improved hemoglobin(11.58 g/dL to 12.29 g/dL), hematocrit(36.01 % to 37.31 %), serum iron(25.54 μg/dL to 40.42 μg/dL and serum ferritin levels (19.46μg/dL to30.97 μg/dL) significantly.

Dr. Syeda Mahvish Zahra is currently working at Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Sargodha, Sargodha-Pakistan. He is also working as Managing Editor at International Journal Of Scientific Innovations. He is also a reviewer for African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development. He published many articles in reputed journals and attended many international conferences.