Edward J.M. Joy
Biofortified Maize Improves Selenium Status of Women and Children in a Rural Community in Malawi: Results of the Addressing Hidden Hunger With Agronomy Randomized Controlled Trial
Joy, Edward J.M.; Kalimbira, Alexander A.; Sturgess, Joanna; Banda, Leonard; Chiutsi-Phiri, Gabriella; Manase, Hastings; Gondwe, Jellita; Ferguson, Elaine L.; Kalumikiza, Zione; Bailey, Elizabeth H.; Young, Scott D.; Matandika, Limbanazo; Mfutso-Bengo, Joseph; Millar, Kate; Niksic, Maja; Segovia de la Revilla, Lucia; Likoswe, Blessings H.; Phuka, John C.; Phiri, Felix P.; Lark, R. Murray; Gashu, Dawd; Langley-Evans, Simon C.; Ander, E. Louise; Lowe, Nicola M.; Dangour, Alan D.; Nalivata, Patson C.; Broadley, Martin R.; Allen, Elizabeth
Authors
Alexander A. Kalimbira
Joanna Sturgess
Leonard Banda
Gabriella Chiutsi-Phiri
Hastings Manase
Jellita Gondwe
Elaine L. Ferguson
Zione Kalumikiza
LIZ BAILEY LIZ.BAILEY@NOTTINGHAM.AC.UK
Professor of Environmental Geochemistry
Scott D. Young
Limbanazo Matandika
Joseph Mfutso-Bengo
KATE MILLAR KATE.MILLAR@NOTTINGHAM.AC.UK
Professor of Applied Bioethics
Maja Niksic
Lucia Segovia de la Revilla
Blessings H. Likoswe
John C. Phuka
Felix P. Phiri
MURRAY LARK MURRAY.LARK@NOTTINGHAM.AC.UK
Professor of Geoinformatics
Dawd Gashu
Simon C. Langley-Evans
E. Louise Ander
Nicola M. Lowe
Alan D. Dangour
Patson C. Nalivata
MARTIN BROADLEY MARTIN.BROADLEY@NOTTINGHAM.AC.UK
Professor of Plant Nutrition
Elizabeth Allen
Abstract
Background: Selenium deficiency is widespread in the Malawi population. The selenium concentration in maize, the staple food crop of Malawi, can be increased by applying selenium-enriched fertilizers. It is unknown whether this strategy, called agronomic biofortification, is effective at alleviating selenium deficiency.
Objectives: The aim of the Addressing Hidden Hunger with Agronomy (AHHA) trial was to determine whether consumption of maize flour, agronomically-biofortified with selenium, affected the serum selenium concentrations of women, and children in a rural community setting.
Design: An individually-randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial was conducted in rural Malawi. Participants were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to receive either intervention maize flour biofortified with selenium through application of selenium fertilizer, or control maize flour not biofortified with selenium. Participant households received enough flour to meet the typical consumption of all household members (330 g capita−1 day−1) for a period of 8 weeks. Baseline and endline serum selenium concentration (the primary outcome) was measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
Results: One woman of reproductive age (WRA) and one school-aged child (SAC) from each of 180 households were recruited and households were randomized to each group. The baseline demographic and socioeconomic status of participants were well-balanced between arms. No serious adverse events were reported. In the intervention arm, mean (standard deviation) serum selenium concentration increased over the intervention period from 57.6 (17.0) μg L−1 (n = 88) to 107.9 (16.4) μg L−1 (n = 88) among WRA and from 46.4 (14.8) μg L−1 (n = 86) to 97.1 (16.0) μg L−1 (n = 88) among SAC. There was no evidence of change in serum selenium concentration in the control groups.
Conclusion: Consumption of maize flour biofortified through application of selenium-enriched fertilizer increased selenium status in this community providing strong proof of principle that agronomic biofortification could be an effective approach to address selenium deficiency in Malawi and similar settings.
Clinical Trial Registration: http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN85899451, identifier: ISRCTN85899451.
Citation
Joy, E. J., Kalimbira, A. A., Sturgess, J., Banda, L., Chiutsi-Phiri, G., Manase, H., …Allen, E. (2022). Biofortified Maize Improves Selenium Status of Women and Children in a Rural Community in Malawi: Results of the Addressing Hidden Hunger With Agronomy Randomized Controlled Trial. Frontiers in Nutrition, 8, Article 788096. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.788096
Journal Article Type | Article |
---|---|
Acceptance Date | Dec 7, 2021 |
Online Publication Date | Jan 6, 2022 |
Publication Date | Jan 6, 2022 |
Deposit Date | Jul 27, 2022 |
Publicly Available Date | Jul 28, 2022 |
Journal | Frontiers in Nutrition |
Electronic ISSN | 2296-861X |
Publisher | Frontiers Media |
Peer Reviewed | Peer Reviewed |
Volume | 8 |
Article Number | 788096 |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.788096 |
Keywords | Nutrition and Dietetics; Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism; Food Science |
Public URL | https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/7378246 |
Publisher URL | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2021.788096/full |
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Joy Et Al (2022) Clinical Trial
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Publisher Licence URL
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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