A Randomized Control Trial to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Manna Go Grains to Promote Growth, Immunity, and Well-Being in Children

Murugan  Narayanaswamy; B.  Divya; Rahul  More; Navnath  Jadhav; Gayatri  Ganu

doi:10.6000/1929-4247.2023.12.04.3

Authors

Murugan Narayanaswamy Southern Health Foods Pvt. Ltd. Khivraj Complex – I, (Indian Bank Building), Third Floor, No. 477-482, Anna Salai, Chennai – 600 035, India
B. Divya Southern Health Foods Pvt. Ltd. Khivraj Complex – I, (Indian Bank Building), Third Floor, No. 477-482, Anna Salai, Chennai – 600 035, India
Rahul More Dr. More’s Children’s Clinic, OPD 1, Second Floor, Atharva Heights Kate Puram Chowk, Navi Sangavi, Pune, Maharashtra, India
Navnath Jadhav Dr. Jadhav Children Hospital and Saideep Children’s Clinic, Bharat Mata Nagar rd, Samarth Colony, Adarsh Nagar, Dighi, Pimpri-Chinchwad-15 Pune, India
Gayatri Ganu Dr. Mprex Healthcare Pvt. Ltd, Wakad, Pune, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4247.2023.12.04.3

Keywords:

Children, growth, immunity, stamina, micronutrients, macronutrients

Abstract

Objective: Nutrition in school-going children is crucial for their lifetime. India witnesses macro and micronutrient deficiencies in school-going children. The present study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Manna go grains in promoting and improving growth, immunity, and well-being in children.

Method: This was a 90-day randomized, controlled, parallel-arm clinical trial. 6-12 years old apparently healthy sixty-two children were randomized either into a test (Manna go grains plus milk) or a control group (milk) in a 1:1 ratio. We assessed changes in growth, immunity, appetite, and overall well-being before and after treatment.

Result: The test group showed a significant increase in height, weight, height to age, and weight to age Z score and percentile, which was greater than the control group. There was significantly more improvement in VO₂ max and appetite of children in the test group was observed as compared to the control group. A significant reduction in recurrent URTI episodes, sick days, recovery days, and missed school days was observed in the test group compared to the control. Memory questionnaire scores also increased significantly by 75% and 27.61% in the test and control groups. Test group parents reported significantly better growth, stamina, and immunity than the control group. There was clinically and statistically insignificant change in CBC, serum iron, serum calcium, and immunity markers like CD3, CD4, CD8, and IgG in both groups.

Conclusion: Thus, Manna Go grains are thought to be a good candidate as a supplement for potentially stimulating growth and development in children and promoting their well-being.

References

Venkatesh U, Sharma A, Ananthan VA, Subbiah P, Durga R. Micronutrient's deficiency in India: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Nutr Sci 2021; 10: e110. https://doi.org/10.1017/jns.2021.102 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/jns.2021.102

Khan DS, Das JK, Zareen S, et al. Nutritional Status and Dietary Intake of School-Age Children and Early Adolescents: Systematic Review in a Developing Country and Lessons for the Global Perspective. Front Nutr 2022; 8: 1310. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.739447 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.739447

Bandyopadhyay S, Shivakumar N, Kurpad AV. Protein intakes of pregnant women and children in India—protein quality implications. Matern Child Nutr 2020; 16: e12952. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12952 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12952

Singh A. Childhood Malnutrition in India. In: Bhattacharya SK, Ed. Perspective of Recent Advances in Acute Diarrhea [Internet]. London: IntechOpen; 2020 [cited 2022 Jun 30]. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89701 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89701

Zhang Z, Li F, Hannon BA, et al. Effect of Oral Nutritional Supplementation on Growth in Children with Undernutrition: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients 2021; 13(9): 3036. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13093036 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13093036

UNICEF. The State of the World's Children 2019. Children, Food, and Nutrition: Growing Well in a Changing World. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); New York, NY, USA 2019.

Das JK, Salam RA, Hadi YB, et al. Preventive lipid-based nutrient supplements are given with complementary foods to infants and young children 6 to 23 months of age for health, nutrition, and developmental outcomes. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2019; 5. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD012611.pub3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD012611.pub2

Roberts JL, Stein AD. The impact of nutritional interventions beyond the first 2 years of life on linear growth: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Adv Nutr 2017; 8(2): 323-36. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.116.013938 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3945/an.116.013938

Durairaj M, Gurumurthy G, Nachimuthu V, Muniappan K, Balasubramanian S. Dehulled small millets: The promising Nutri cereals for improving the nutrition of children. Matern Child Nutr 2019; 15(S3): e12791. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12791 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12791

Shiraz Z. Top food components for growing kids: Nutrients that must be in a child's plate, 2022 Nov 29; [cited: 08 March 2023]. Available from: https://www.hindustantimes.com/ lifestyle/health/top-food-components-for-growing-kids-nutrients-that-must-be-in-a-child-s-plate-101669720931364.html.

Fatima S, Khan SA, Fatima F. Nutritional supplements and their use in the treatment of malnutrition in developing countries. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad 2015; 27(4): 911-22.

Wiley AS. Consumption of milk, but not other dairy products, is associated with height among US preschool children in NHANES 1999–2002. Annal Hum Biol 2009; 36(2): 125-38. https://doi.org/10.1080/03014460802680466 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03014460802680466

Anitha S, Kane-Potaka J, Tsusaka TW, et al. Acceptance and impact of millet-based mid-day meal on the nutritional status of adolescent school going children in a peri-urban region of Karnataka State in India. Nutrients 2019; 11(9): 2077. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11092077 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11092077

Mehta S, Huey SL, Ghugre PS, et al. A randomized trial of iron-and zinc-Biofortified pearl millet-based complementary feeding in children aged 12 to 18 months living in urban slums. Clin Nutr 2022; 41(4): 937-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2022.02.014 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzac060.035

Vieira ED, Gomes AM, Gil AM, Vasconcelos MW. Pulses’ benefits in children’s diets: a narrative review. J Obesity and Chronic Dis 2021; 5(1): 13-22.

Naila NN, Mahfuz M, Hossain M, Arndt M, Walson JL, Nahar B, Ahmed T. Improvement in appetite among stunted children receiving nutritional intervention in Bangladesh: results from a community-based study. Eur J Clin Nutr 2021; 75(9): 1359-67. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-020-00843-9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-020-00843-9

Devaki PB, Chandra RK, Geisser P. Effects of Oral Iron (III) Hydroxide Polymaltose Complex Supplementation on Hemoglobin Increase, Cognitive Function, Affective Behavior and Scholastic Performance of Adolescents with Varying Iron Status. Arzneimittelforschung 2009; 59(06): 303-10. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0031-1296401 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0031-1296401

Ip P, Ho FKW, Rao N, et al. Impact of nutritional supplements on cognitive development of children in developing countries: A meta-analysis. Sci Rep 2017; 7(1): 10611. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-11023-4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-11023-4

Anitha S, Givens DI, Botha R, et al. Calcium from Finger Millet—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Calcium Retention, Bone Resorption, and in vitro Bioavailability. Sustainability 2021; 13(16): 8677. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13168677 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13168677

Anitha S, Givens DI, Subramaniam K, et al. Can feeding a millet-based diet improve the growth of children?—A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients 2022; 14(1): 225. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14010225 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14010225

https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2023/mar/doc2023318173501.pdf