Millet best bullet in malnutrition war — study

A new study has shown that regular consumption of millet can boost growth in children and adolescents by between 26 and 39 per cent

The study says the crop can significantly contribute to overcoming malnutrition.

The study published in the journal Nutrients attributed this to the naturally high nutrient content of millets.

The crop exhibits high amounts of growth promoting nutrients, especially total protein, sulphur containing amino acids and calcium in the case of finger millets.

The study was undertaken by seven organisations in four countries and the International Crops Research Institute of the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).

Infants, preschool and school going children as well as adolescents were part of the study.

“The findings provide evidence that nutrition intervention programmes can be developed and adapted to increase diversity in meals using millets.

"Thus to improve the nutritional content, including in school feeding and mother and child programmes,” ICRISAT director general, Jacqueline Hughes said.

The researchers also found that regular consumption of millets can improve heamoglobin and reduce iron deficiency anaemia, which is rising globally.

Dr Anitha Seetha, the lead author and senior nutritionist at ICRISAT, said the study concluded that millet can provide all or most of the daily dietary iron requirements of an average person.

“The research clearly shows that millets can play a promising role in preventing and reducing high levels of iron deficiency anaemia,” she said.

However, Seetha said, the amount of iron provided depends on the millet variety and its form of processing.

Researchers found that millets increased haemoglobin levels by as much as 13.2 per cent. Four studies in the review also showed serum ferritin increasing by an average of 54.7 per cent.

Seetha said that ferritin is an iron containing protein in the blood and is a clinical marker for iron deficiency.

She said the studies in the analysis involved nearly 1,000 children, adolescents and adults.

It also included six different millet types namely finger millet, pearl millet, sorghum and a mixture of kodo, foxtail and little millets.

The participants in the studies were found to have consumed millets for anywhere between 21 days and 4.5 years.

“In 2019, 1.74 billion people were anaemic and the number is rising. It has been proven that iron deficiency anaemia affects cognitive and physical development in children and it reduces productivity in adults.

"The need for a solution is critical and therefore bringing millets into mainstream and government programmes is highly recommended,” Hughes said.

Professor Ian Givens, study author and director, Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health, University of Reading, UK said millets help meet many of the largest nutrition and health needs.

“They not only help tackle child undernutrition, but also assist in managing type 2 diabetes.

"It is also essential in overcoming iron deficiency anaemia, lowering total cholesterol levels, obesity and the risk of cardiovascular disease,” Givens said.

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)