Table 1 Characteristics of included studies

Adu-Afarwuah 2007

Ghana

6-12 month olds

Β-Carotene-300 µg RE, Vitamin C-50 mg, Vitamin D3-7.5 µg, Folic acid- 150 µg, Iron (Fumarate)- 12.5 mg, Zinc (Gluconate)- 5 mg

1 year

Adu-Afarwuah 2008

Ghana

6-12 month olds

Β-Carotene-300 µg RE, Vitamin C-50 mg, Vitamin D3- 7.5 µg, Folic acid- 150 µg, Iron (Fumarate)-12.5 mg, Zinc (Gluconate)- 5 mg

1 year

Agostoni 2007

Cambodia

6 month olds

Fe- 12.5mg (fumarate), Zn- 5 mg (gluconate), Vitamin C - 50mg, Vitamin A - 300mg, Vitamin D3-7.5mg, Folic acid - 150mg, Potato maltodextrins SQ to 1 g.

1 year

Kounnavong 2011

Lao People’s Democratic Republic

6-52 month olds

Vitamin A - 400μg RE, Vitamin D- 35 μg, Vitamin E - 5 mg TE, Vitamin B1, B2, B6 - each 0.5 mg, Folic acid- 150 μg, Niacin- 6 mg, Vitamin B12- 0.9 μg, Vitamin C- 30 mg, Iron- 10 mg, Zinc- 4.1 mg, Selenium- 17 μg, Copper- 0.56 mg, Iodine- 90 μg

6 months

Kumar 2007

India

7-11 year olds

Vitamin A 1500 IU/g, Vitamin B2, B6, B12 each -1 mg/g, Calcium pentothenate- 1 mg/g, Niacin -15 mg/g, Folic acid-100 mcg/g, Vitamin E -30 IU/g, Vitamin C- 30 mg/g, Iron - 10 mg/g, Lysine - 250 mg/g, Calcium - 15.63 %

1 year

Lundeen 2010

Kyrgyzistan

6-36 months old

Elemental iron (fumarate)- 12.5 mg, Vitamin A - 300 μg, Zinc (gluconate)- 5 mg, Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) - 30 mg, Folic acid- 160 μg

2 months

Macharia-Mutie 2012

Kenya

1-5 year olds

Retinyl palmitate - 100 mg RE, Cholecalciferol- 5 mg, 1-a tocopheryl acetate- 5 mg TE , Phylloquinone - 30 mg, Thiamin- 0.5 mg, Riboflavin - 0.5 mg, Pyridoxine - 0.5 mg, Folic acid - 90 mg, Niacin - 6 mg, Vitamin B-12 - 0.9 mg, Vitamin C - 60 mg, Iron (as NaFeEDTA) - 2.5 mg, Zinc - 2.5 mg, Selenium - 17 mg, Copper - 0.34 mg, Iodine- 30 mg

4 months

Menon 2007

Haiti

9-24 month olds

Iron- 12.5 mg, Zinc- 5mg, Vitamin A- 400mg, Folic acid - 160mg, Vitamin C- 30mg

2 months

Osei 2010

India

6-10 year olds

Iron (NaFeEDTA)- 10 mg, Vitamin A (retinyl acetate)- 375 mg, Zinc (zinc gluconate) -4.2 mg, Folic acid - 225 mg, Iodine (potassium iodide) - 90 mg, Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) - 26.25 mg, Thiamine (thiamine mononitrate)- 0.68 mg, Riboflavin- 0.68 mg, Niacin (nicotinamide) - 9 mg, Vitamin B-12- 1.35 mg, Vitamin B-6- 0.75 mg, Vitamin D (ergocalciferol) - 3.75 mg, Vitamin E - 5.25 mg, Copper [CuSO4.(H2O)5]- 0.45 mg

8 months

Sharieff 2006

Pakistan

6-12 month olds

Zinc gluconate- 5 mg, Ferrous fumarate - 30 mg, Vitamin C - 50 mg, Vitamin A - 300 mg, Vitamin D3 - 7.5 mg, Folic acid- 150 mg

2 months

Varma 2007

India

36-66 month olds

Ferrous fumarate- 14 mg, Vitamin A- 500 IU, Folic acid- 0.05 mg

6 months

Giovannini 2006

Cambodia

6 month olds

Fe (iron II fumarate) - 12.5 mg, Zn (gluconate) - 5 mg, Vitamin C - 50 mg, Vitamin A - 300 µg, Vitamin D3 - 7.5 µg, Folic acid 50- 150 µg, Potato maltodextrins - SQ to 1 g

1 year

Sharieff 2007

China

3-6 years

Iron (ferrous fumarate)- 30 mg, Zinc gluconate- 5mg, Vitamin C- 50 mg, Vitamin A- 300 mg, Vitamin D3 - 7.5mg, Folic acid- 150mg

3 months

Suchdev 2010

Kenya

6-35 month olds

Ferrous fumarate- 12.5mg, Vitamin A- 375 µg, Zinc- 5 mg, Folic acid- 150 µg, Vitamin C-35 mg, Vitamin D3 - 5 µg, Vitamin E- 6 mg, Niacin- 6 mg, Copper- 0.6 mg, Iodine - 50 µg, Thiamine, riboflavin and vitamin B-6 - 0.5 mg, Vitamin B-12- 0.9 mg

1 year

Jack 2012

Cambodia

6 month olds

Iron (ferrous fumarate) - 12.5 mg, Zinc gluconate - 10 mg, Vitamin A - 300μg, Iodine - 90 μg, Vitamin B1 - 0.5 mg, Vitamin B2 - 0.5 mg, Vitamin B6 - 0.5 mg, Vitamin B12 - 0.9 μg, Niacin - 6 mg, Folate, folic acid - 160 μg, Vitamin C - 30 mg, Copper - 0.3 mg, Vitamin D - 5 μg, Vitamin E - 6 IU

18 months

Bhutta (unpublished)

Pakistan

6-18 months

Ferrous fumarate- 12.5 mg, Vitamin C - 50 mg, Vitamin A (retinol acetate)- 300 μg, Vitamin D - 5 μg, Folic acid - 150 μg, Zinc gluconate- 10 mg

24 months