Effect of Moringa oleifera leaf powder supplementation on acute respiratory infection in children aged 36–59 months: a quasi-experimental study
Downloads
Background: Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children under five, particularly in settings with poor nutritional status and sanitation. Moringa oleifera has been recognized for its nutritional and immunomodulatory properties; however, evidence regarding its effect on ARI incidence in undernourished children is still limited.
Objective: This study aimed to examine the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf powder supplementation on the incidence of ARI among children aged 36–59 months.
Methods: A quasi-experimental study with a pretest–posttest control group design was conducted from May to July 2025 at Batuputih Public Health Center, South Central Timor District, Indonesia. A total of 40 children were equally allocated into intervention and control groups. The intervention group received 15 g/day of moringa leaf powder combined with eggs, vitamin C, and B complex for 60 days, while the control group received the same supplementation without moringa. ARI incidence was assessed based on clinical diagnosis and hematological parameters, including leukocyte, lymphocyte, and monocyte counts. Data were analyzed using appropriate non-parametric and parametric tests, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: The intervention group showed a greater reduction in ARI incidence compared with the control group (from 20 to 3 children vs. 20 to 9 children; p = 0.038). Significant changes were also observed in leukocyte levels following supplementation (p = 0.007).
Conclusion: Moringa oleifera leaf powder supplementation was associated with a reduction in ARI incidence among children aged 36–59 months and may serve as a potential supportive nutritional intervention in high-risk populations.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
