An interventional study of Vitamin D supplement 4000 IU weekly and 200 grams of cooked trout fish in Vitamin D 25-Hydroxylase Deficiency, Undernutrition and Neurocognitive Development, sponsored by Aga Khan University. Recruiting at 1 site in Pakistan. Open to participants aged 6 Years to 12 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-08.
Sponsored by Aga Khan University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
Vitamin D deficiency and undernutrition are major public health concerns globally, particularly among children in low-resource and high-altitude settings. In Pakistan, the recent national nutrition survey has reported alarmingly high prevalence rates of vitamin D deficiency, especially in Ghizer District of Gilgit-Baltistan, where 85% of children under five years of age are vitamin D deficient, placing them at heightened risk for rickets, impaired growth, weakened immune function, cognitive impairments, and long-term socio-economic consequences. This survey did not provide any information on the vitamin D deficiency status of school-going children in Pakistan. However, a study conducted in Karachi reported that 65% of children aged 6-12 years were deficient in vitamin D. Despite abundant natural resources, such as trout fish and locally available cow's milk and eggs, these nutrient-rich foods are underutilized due to limited awareness among local communities about the health benefits for children.
This issue is particularly urgent for the Aga Khan University (AKU) and the Aga Khan Education Service Pakistan (AKESP) 's schools in the region, where children's health is integral to academic success and long-term community development. Addressing micronutrient deficiencies aligns closely with AKU's and the Aga Khan Development Network's (AKDN) strategic priorities of improving early childhood development, promoting health equity, strengthening food security, and fostering local capacity through evidence-based interventions.
Therefore, this proposal aims to assess whether targeted local food and supplementation, including trout fish, whole cow milk with egg, and vitamin D supplements, can significantly reduce vitamin D deficiency and improve nutritional and cognitive outcomes among school children in AKESP schools.
1,587 studies on the registry are indexed under Malnutrition; 237 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 304 is above the median of 90 across 1,134 interventional studies indexed under Malnutrition.
Browse Malnutrition studies →Aga Khan University is the lead sponsor of 291 studies on the registry; 45 are open to participants now.
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Children will be included in the study if they meet all of the following criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
Children will be excluded if they meet any of the following criteria:
Group 1: 200 grams of cooked trout fish (100 gram per serving, twice weekly) for 16 weeks, along with education on dietary diversity.
Other: 200 grams of cooked trout fish
Group 2: 250 milliliters of whole cow milk + whole egg 3 days a week during school hours for 16 weeks, along with education on dietary diversity.
Other: 250 milliliters of whole cow milk + whole egg
Group 3: Vitamin D supplement 2000 IU twice a week for 16 weeks, along with education on dietary diversity.
Dietary Supplement: Vitamin D supplement 4000 IU weekly
Group 4: Control Group, no additional meal will be provided during the intervention phase. After the study is completed, these children will receive a vitamin D supplement of 2000 IU twice a week for 16 weeks, along with education on dietary diversity.
Vitamin D supplement 4000 IU weekly dose for 16 weeks, along with education on dietary diversity
200 grams of cooked trout fish (100 gram per serving, twice weekly) for 16 weeks, along with education on dietary diversity
250 milliliters of whole cow milk + whole egg 3 days a week during school hours for 16 weeks, along with education on dietary diversity
Serum 25(OH)D concentrations
Time frame: 16 weeks
Child weight measurement in kilograms
Weight in kilograms at baseline and endline
Time frame: 16 weeks
Child dietary diversity
Dietary diversity will also be assessed using a 24-hour food recall on a monthly basis
Time frame: 16 weeks
Neurocognitive development
Neurocognitive development will be assessed by using Digit span test and Word List Recall.
Time frame: Baseline and after 6 months of intervention
Morbidity history
Time frame: 16 weeks
School attendance
Time frame: 16 weeks
Child height measurement in centimeters
Height measurement in centimeters at baseline and endline
Time frame: 16 weeks
Child mid-upper arm circumference measurement in centimeters
Mid-upper arm circumference measurement in centimeters at baseline and endline
Time frame: 16 weeks
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Vitamin D Hydroxylation-Deficient Rickets, Type 1B
Aga Khan University