18. Food and nutrition subsidies – results of included trials.
| Study ID (risk of bias) | Study design (n) | Food rebate/subsidy | No intervention | Effect measure (timepoint) | Effect direction | Meta‐analysis | ||||||
| Results at baseline | Results at follow‐up | n | Results at baseline | Results at follow‐up | n | |||||||
| Primary outcomes | ||||||||||||
| 5.3 Proportion of HHs who were food secure | ||||||||||||
| 5.3.1 Dietary diversity | ||||||||||||
| 5.3.1.1 Outcome measure: DDS for nutrition subsidy only (general target: malnutrition reduction) group vs control (mean, SD) | ||||||||||||
|
Chen 2019 – nutrition subsidy (‐) DDS 0–10 |
cRCT (656 students) | 4.75 (2.17) | 5.21 (2.18) | 219 students | 5.33 (2.32) | 4.82 (2.36) | 437 students | MD 0.956, robust SE 0.255, 95% CI 0.4562 to 1.4558, P < 0.01 (6 months) | ▲ | N/A | ||
| Chen 2019 – nutrition subsidy+monetary incentive (‐) | cRCT | 4.65 (2.20) | 5.32 (2.09) | 210 students | 5.33 (2.32) | 4.82 (2.36) | 437 students | Mean score 1.263, robust SE 0.224, P < 0.01 (6 months) | ▲ | |||
| Secondary outcomes | ||||||||||||
| 5.5 Change in anthropometric indicators | ||||||||||||
| 5.5.1 Outcome measure: BMI‐for‐age z‐score (mean, SD) | ||||||||||||
| Chen 2019 – nutrition subsidy (‐) | cRCT | –0.70 (0.91) | –0.71 (0.95) | 219 students | –0.68 (0.94) | –0.76 (0.97) | 437 students | Mean score 0.080, robust SE 0.058 No significant difference from control (6 months) |
△ | N/A | ||
| Chen 2019 – nutrition subsidy+monetary incentive (‐) | cRCT | –0.63 (0.91) | –0.60 (0.89) | 210 students | –0.68 (0.94) | –0.76 (0.97) | 437 students | Mean score 0.123, robust SE 0.047, P < 0.01 (6 months) | ▲ | |||
| 5.5.2 Outcome measure: proportion underweight (mean, SD) | ||||||||||||
| Chen 2019 – nutrition subsidy (‐) | cRCT | 0.07 (0.25) | 0.07 (0.26) | 219 students | 0.08 (0.26) | 0.11 (0.32) | 437 students | Mean proportion –0.032, robust SE 0.024, 95% CI –0.079 to 0.015 (6 months) | △ | N/A | ||
| Chen 2019 – nutrition subsidy+monetary incentive (‐) | cRCT | 0.06 (0.24) | 0.06 (0.23) | 210 students | 0.08 (0.26) | 0.11 (0.32) | 437 students | Mean proportion –0.041, robust SE 0.022, 95% CI –0.084 to 0.002 (6 months) | △ | |||
| 5.6 Change in biochemical indicators | ||||||||||||
| 5.6.1 Outcome measure: haemoglobin concentration in children in nutrition subsidy only (general target: malnutrition reduction) group vs control (mean, SD) | ||||||||||||
| Chen 2019 – nutrition subsidy (‐) | cRCT | 128.51 (12.63) | 128.11 (15.86) | 219 students | 128.03 (12.95) | 127.93 (14.86) | 437 students | Mean concentration 0.512, robust SE 1.348, 95% CI –2.130 to 3.154 (6 months) | △ | N/A | ||
| Chen 2019 – nutrition subsidy+monetary incentive (‐) | cRCT | 127.84 (12.80) | 130.95 (15.66) | 210 students | 128.03 (12.95) | 127.93 (14.86) | 437 students | Mean concentration 4.490, robust SE 1.241, 95% CI 2.058 to 6.922, P < 0.01 (6 months) | ▲ | |||
| 5.9 Morbidity | ||||||||||||
| 5.9.1 Outcome measure: proportion of anaemic children in nutrition subsidy only (general target: malnutrition reduction) group vs control (mean, SD) | ||||||||||||
| Chen 2019 – nutrition subsidy (‐) | cRCT | 0.18 (0.38) | 0.22 (0.42) | 219 students | 22 (0.42) | 0.23 (0.42) | 437 students | Mean proportion –0.005, robust SE 0.048, 95% CI –0.099 to 0.089, P > 0.01 (6 months) | △ | N/A | ||
| Chen 2019 – nutrition subsidy+monetary incentive (‐) | cRCT | 0.23 (0.42) | 0.16 (0.36) | 210 students | 0.22 (0.42) | 0.23 (0.42) | 437 students | Mean proportion –0.120, robust SE 0.046, 95% CI –0.210 to –0.029, P < 0.01 (6 months) | ▲ | |||
cRCT: cluster randomised controlled trial; DDS: Dietary Diversity Score; MD: mean difference; n: number; N/A: not applicable/available; SD: standard deviation; SE: standard error.