Effects of Moringa oleifera leaves on hemoglobin and serum retinol levels and underweight status among adolescent girls in rural Bangladesh
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Objectives: Moringa oleifera has been used for centuries due to its medicinal properties and health benefits. The plant has antifungal, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory properties. We aimed to evaluate the effect of consumption of Moringa leaves, along with a regular diet on serum hemoglobin and retinol and underweight status among rural Bangladeshi adolescent girls.
Methods: This school-based quasi-experimental study involved 226 adolescent girls (12–14 years-old). Intervention group (n = 113) received a meal comprising rice, concentrated dal, and fried potato with Moringa pakora (oil-fried snack); the control group (at a different school in an adjacent area with similar population demographics) received calorie-matched meal without Moringa pakora for 6 months. We used generalized liner regression (GLM) analysis, to explore the effect of the intervention among the groups between baseline and endline.
Results: Mean age of the intervention and control groups were 12.7 ± 0.7 and 13.3 ± 0.8 years, respectively. After adjusting for maternal education, absenteeism, asset index, BMI-for-age Z-score, GLM regression showed significant positive changes in hemoglobin (intervention vs. control: coef = 0.41, P = 0.010) and serum retinol (coef = 0.27, P = 0.00). No significant changes in weight was observed between groups.
Conclusion: Consumption of Moringa leaves has the potential to improving hemoglobin and serum retinol level and should be encouraged as regular diet.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 959890 |
Journal | Frontiers in Nutrition |
Volume | 9 |
Number of pages | 10 |
ISSN | 2296-861X |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2022 |
Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2022 Khanam, Sanin, Ara, Sultana Rita, Boitchi, Farzana, Haque and Ahmed.
- Adolescent girls, Hemoglobin, Moringa, Underweight, Vitamin A
Research areas
ID: 324267552