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. 2020 May 18;16(2):e1085. doi: 10.1002/cl2.1085
Micronutrient supplementation/fortification compared with placebo/no supplementation/fortification for health and nutritional status
Patient or population: Adolescents
Settings: School settings
Intervention: Micronutrient supplementation/fortification
Comparison: Placebo/no supplementation/fortification
Illustrative comparative risks* (95% CI)
Assumed risk Corresponding risk
Outcomes Placebo/No supplementation/fortification Micronutrient supplementation/fortification Relative effect (95% CI) No of Participants (studies) Quality of the evidence (GRADE) Comments
Daily Iron supplementation with or without folic acid: Anaemia 206 of 579 216 of 581 RR: 1.06 [0.95, 1.18] 1,160 participants (one study) ⊕⊕⊝⊝
Low a , b
Weekly Iron supplementation with or without folic acid: Anaemia 206 of 579 265 of 695 RR: 1.07 [0.93, 1.24] 1,274 participants (one study) ⊕⊕⊝⊝
Low a , b
Calcium/vitamin D supplementation/fortification: BMI The mean BMI in the control group ranged between 18.15 and 18.5 The mean BMI in the intervention group ranged between 17.05 and 19.1 MD: −0.01 kg/m2 [−1.20, 1.17] 730 participants (two studies) ⊕⊝⊝⊝
Very Low a , b , c
Iron supplementation with or without folic acid: BMI The mean BMI in the control group ranged between 15.78 and 16.23 The mean BMI in the intervention group ranged between 15.67 and 17.25 MD: 0.29 kg/m2 [−0.25, 0.83] 652 participants (two studies) ⊕⊝⊝⊝
Very Low a , b , c
Zinc supplementation: BMI The mean BMI in the control group ranged was 16.23 The mean BMI in the intervention group was 16.58 MD: 0.35 kg/m2 [−0.15, 0.85] 382 participants (one study) ⊕⊝⊝⊝
Very Low a , b , c
MMN fortification: BMI The mean BMI in the control group ranged between 15.27 and 16.5 The mean BMI in the intervention group ranged between 15.42 and 17.1 MD: 0.23 kg/m2 [−0.11, 0.57] 943 participants (two studies) ⊕⊝⊝⊝
Very Low a , b , c

GRADE Working Group grades of evidence: High quality: Further research is very unlikely to change our confidence in the estimate of effect. Moderate quality: Further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and may change the estimate. Low quality: Further research is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate. Very low quality: We are very uncertain about the estimate.

Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; CI, confidence interval; MD, mean difference; MMN, multiple micronutrient; RR, risk ratio.

*

The basis for the assumed risk (e.g., the median control group risk across studies) is provided in footnotes. The corresponding risk (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI).

a

Downgraded due to very serious study limitations.

b

Downgraded by one level due to imprecision.

c

Downgraded by one level due to high heterogeneity.