Moringa oleifera leaf consumption in vitamin A and haematogical status of school children in Ada-East district, Ghana

Abstract

Background: Vitamin A defi ciency (VAD) could be prevented by the consumption of pro-vitamin A (β-carotene)-rich Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) leaves. M. oleifera grows well in many developing countries, and dried leaves also retain a high percentage of β-carotene on storage; they could thus serve as an excellent, convenient source of this pro-vitamin A carotenoid. This study assessed the effi cacy of the supplementation of dried M. oleifera leaves on the vitamin A and haematological status of children in Ada-East district, Ghana. Methodology: Children aged 5–12 years were supplemented three times a week at 0.2 g/kg bodyweight for nine weeks. Background data were collected on the socio-demographic status of the children. Data were collected on vitamin A and haematological status of the children at baseline and at the end of the study. Malaria and hookworm morbidity were also assessed at baseline and at the end of the study. Results: There was a signifi cant increase in mean serum vitamin A levels after supplementation (end of study) in the intervention group (p,0.05), but not in the control group. Haematological parameters Haemoglobin (HGB), Red Blood Count (RBC), Haematocrit (HCT), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) did not show any signifi cant changes in either group (p,0.05). A bivariate analysis, however, showed a signifi cant association between vitamin A and haematological indices in the intervention group, but not in the control group. Conclusion: M. oleifera leaf consumption signifi cantly increased the vitamin A status of children in Ada-East district, Ghana, and has the potential of increasing the haematological status of children. It could thus play a major role as a food-based strategy in vitamin A defi ciency control