Canadian Innovation Helps Combat Childhood Anemia in Tanzania: Study Shows Success of Lucky Iron Fish in Shinyanga Region

Shinyanga, Tanzania — The Lucky Iron Fish — has shown promising results in reducing childhood anemia in Tanzania, according to a study authored by the Ministry of Health (MoH) Tanzania, the Tanzania Food and Nutrition Center, World Vision Tanzania, and World Vision Canada.
Anemia continues to pose a major health threat to young children in Tanzania, with 59% affected nationally and rates as high as 69% in the Shinyanga region. The collaborative study tested whether the Lucky Iron Fish — an affordable, reusable iron cooking tool developed in Canada — could provide a simple, effective solution in households with young children.

Study Overview:

•    80 children aged 1–5 years were enrolled and monitored over ten months.
•    LIF was distributed to households with instructions for regular use during cooking.
•    Monthly measurements tracked hemoglobin (Hb) and serum ferritin (SF) levels.
•    Structured focus groups gathered feedback on usage, acceptability, and any side effects.

Key Findings:

•    Hemoglobin levels increased significantly by the end of the study period.
•    There was a notable reduction in both the rate and severity of anemia.
•    Over 80% of households used the Lucky Iron Fish more than three times per week.
•    No side effects were reported.
•    Serum ferritin levels remained unchanged, but iron status showed marked improvement.

“This study demonstrates that a Canadian innovation can make a real impact on children’s health in high-need settings,” said Dr. Gavin Armstrong, Founder and CEO of Lucky Iron Life. “The Lucky Iron Fish was accepted by families, was easy to use, and contributed to reducing iron deficiency anemia among children — without requiring major changes to diets or costly supplements.”

About Lucky Iron Fish:

The Lucky Iron Fish is a Canadian-made, food-safe iron cooking tool shaped like a fish. When boiled in food or water and a source of acidity like lemon or tomato, it releases a safe amount of iron to help prevent and treat iron deficiency. Proven effective in clinical trials, it is a cost-effective, and scalable solution for global nutrition challenges. 
 

Study Authors and Collaborators:
•    Ministry of Health, Tanzania
•    Tanzania Food and Nutrition Center
•    World Vision Tanzania
•    World Vision Canada