PhD defence: Impact of multiple-micronutrient-fortified rice on micronutrient status, health, and cognitive performance
in schoolchildren in Cambodia
Kuong Khov
PhD thesis
The PhD thesis evaluates the impact of three types of rice fortified with multiple micronutrients on nutritional status, health and cognitive performance in schoolchildren in Cambodia. The research was conducted as a cluster-randomized double-blinded intervention including 2,500 children age 6 to 16 years in 20 schools.
Different types of fortified rice kernels were initially tested for nutrient retention during storage, and then served as breakfast meals all school days over a 6 months intervention period. It was found that fortified rice could help to improve micronutrient status, health and cognitive performance of schoolchildren, but not likely to control anaemia and growth retardation. School-feeding with fortified rice is a promising strategy to improve nutritional status, in combination with other health programs such as improved hygiene and effective deworming.
2017, 160 pages.
Time
15 December 2017, 13:00
Place
Festauditoriet 1-01, Bülowsvej 17.
1870 Frederiksberg C
Opponents
Professor Christian Mølgaard (chair), Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Professor Tor Strand, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Lillehammer, Norway.
Senior Scientist and Lecturer Diego Moretti, Human Nutrition Laboratory, Institute of Food Nutrition and Health, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETHZ, Zurich, Switzerland.
Supervisor
Associate Professor Nanna Roos, Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Co-supervisors
Dr. Frank Wieringa, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier, France.
Dr. Jacques Berger, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier, France.
Dr. Chhoun Chamnan, Department of Fisheries Post-Harvest Technologies and Quality Control (DFPTQ), Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Cambodia.
Professor Henrik Friis, Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.