Objective: To test the efficacy of double-fortified salt (DFS) on the anaemia and iodine deficiency (ID) status of women and their children.
Design: Double-blind randomised controlled trial.
Setting: Sekyere West District of Ghana.
Subjects: In this eight-month trial, mildly anaemic or non-anaemic, non-pregnant, non-lactating women were randomised into three groups receiving: DFS plus weekly placebo (n = 61); iodised salt plus weekly 70 mg iron supplement (n = 65); or iodised salt (IS) plus weekly placebo (control group, n = 58). Correspondingly, their mildly anaemic and non-anaemic children aged 1-5 years were randomised into two groups receiving either the DFS (n = 23) or IS alone (control group, n = 59).
Results: At the end of the intervention, prevalence of anaemia in women remained unchanged in the DFS or IS plus weekly iron supplement group, but significantly increased by 19.5% in the control group (P = 0.039). In children, prevalence of anaemia in the DFS group significantly decreased by 21.7% (P = 0.025) while no change was observed in the control group. ID decreased significantly in all groups of women (P < 0.001) and children (P < 0.05), with no difference among groups of women and children.
Conclusion: While the use of DFS prevented anaemia in women, it had a significant role in both the prevention and treatment of anaemia in children. Both the DFS and IS significantly reduced ID in women and children to a similar degree.