Effect of a Carotenoid-Rich Complementary Food Supplement on Vitamin A Status of Infants in Niger State

Local food-based strategies to address vitamin A deficiency in infants during the complementary feeding period offer sustainable alternatives to periodic supplementation programmes, particularly in settings where programme coverage is incomplete. This study evaluates the effect of a carotenoid-rich, locally formulated complementary food supplement on serum retinol and serum beta-carotene concentrations in infants aged 6 to 12 months in Bida and Lapai local government areas of Niger State, North Central Nigeria. A randomised controlled trial design was employed, with 180 infants randomly assigned to an intervention group receiving daily fortified porridge enriched with dehydrated orange-fleshed sweet potato and dried moringa leaf powder alongside breastfeeding, or a control group receiving standard breastfeeding and usual family complementary foods. Serum retinol and beta-carotene were measured at baseline and at twelve weeks of follow-up using high-performance liquid chromatography. Dietary vitamin A intake was assessed at baseline and endline using a 24-hour recall with caregiver proxy. Child growth, haemoglobin concentration, and morbidity were secondary outcomes monitored monthly. Compliance with the supplementation protocol was tracked through caregiver daily record sheets. Findings will provide experimental evidence on the efficacy of locally produced carotenoid-rich complementary foods in improving vitamin A status during a critical developmental window, with implications for scaling locally sourced nutrition solutions in North Central Nigeria. Keywords: vitamin A deficiency, complementary food supplement, infants, Niger State, carotenoid.