Study of Multiply-fortified Salt Among Women of Reproductive Age and Preschool Children in India

Inclusion criteria

for women of reproductive age:

• 18-49 years of age;
• Not currently pregnant (self-reported);
• Not severely anemia (defined as a hemoglobin concentration < 8 g/dL);
• Not planning to become pregnant within the next year;
• Permanent resident of the study village with no plans to move or travel outside the village for more than 4 weeks over the next 12 months;
• No serious health problems that requires regular visits to a health facility;
• Willingness to use refined salt provided by the study as a primary source of household discretionary salt.

Exclusion criteria

for women of reproductive age:

• Age <18 or > 49 years of age;
• Pregnant at the time of enrollment (self report) or planning to become pregnant within the next year;
• Severely anemic (i.e. hemoglobin concentration < 8 g/dL);
• Not a permanent resident of the study area;
• Planning to leave the study area for at least one month over the study period;
• Serious health problem that interferes with eating practices and/or requires hospitalization;
• Unwilling to use refined salt provided by the study as the primary source of the household's discretionary salt.

Inclusion criteria

for preschool children:

• Child 12-59 months of age at the time of enrollment;
• Child's mother or primary female caregiver has been enrolled into the parent trial;
• Not severely anemic (defined as a hemoglobin concentration < 7 g/dL);
• Child's family is a permanent resident of the study village with no plans to move or travel outside the village for more than 4 weeks over the next 12 months;
• No serious medical problems that interfere with the child's eating practices;
• Child's mother or primary female caregiver is willing to use refined salt provided by the study as the primary source of the household's discretionary salt for the course of the study.

Exclusion criteria

for preschool children:

• Child age < 12 or > 59 months of age;
• Child's mother has not been enrolled in the parent trial;
• Severely anemic (i.e. hemoglobin concentration < 7 g/dL);
• Child's family is not a permanent resident of the study village and/or has plans to travel outside the village for more than 4 weeks over the next 12 months;
• Serious health problem that interferes with the child's eating practices;
• Child's mother or primary female caregiver is unwilling to use refined salt provided by the study as the primary sources of the household's discretionary salt for the course of the study.