T Kassaye1, O Receveur, T Johns, M R Becklake. 1. School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, 21, 111 Lakeshore Road, Ste Anne de Bellevue, PQ, H9X 3V9, Canada.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency in children aged 6-9 years in northern Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out and the data were analysed for 824 (61.5%) of 1339 eligible children for whom there was complete information on biochemical vitamin A status, dietary vitamin A intake, ocular examination for xerophthalmia, and anthropometry. FINDINGS: The prevalence of xerophthalmia was 5.8%; serum retinol levels were below 0.35 mumol/l and between 0.35 and 0.70 mumol/l in 8.4% and 51.1% of the children respectively. The liver vitamin A reserve (modified relative dose response ratio > or = 0.06) was low in 41.0% of the children. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of severe vitamin A deficiency in children aged 6-9 years indicates the need to reevaluate the practice of targeting vitamin A supplementation programmes on children under 6 years of age in areas where vitamin A deficiency is endemic.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency in children aged 6-9 years in northern Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out and the data were analysed for 824 (61.5%) of 1339 eligible children for whom there was complete information on biochemical vitamin A status, dietary vitamin A intake, ocular examination for xerophthalmia, and anthropometry. FINDINGS: The prevalence of xerophthalmia was 5.8%; serum retinol levels were below 0.35 mumol/l and between 0.35 and 0.70 mumol/l in 8.4% and 51.1% of the children respectively. The liver vitamin A reserve (modified relative dose response ratio > or = 0.06) was low in 41.0% of the children. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of severe vitamin A deficiency in children aged 6-9 years indicates the need to reevaluate the practice of targeting vitamin A supplementation programmes on children under 6 years of age in areas where vitamin A deficiency is endemic.
Authors: Hesham M Al-Mekhlafi; Johari Surin; Atiya A Sallam; Ariffin W Abdullah; Mohammed A K Mahdy Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2010-09 Impact factor: 2.345
Authors: Marion Fiorentino; Guillaume Bastard; Malick Sembène; Sonia Fortin; Pierre Traissac; Edwige Landais; Christèle Icard-Vernière; Frank T Wieringa; Jacques Berger Journal: PLoS One Date: 2013-12-31 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Zaida Herrador; Luis Sordo; Endalamaw Gadisa; Antonio Buño; Rubén Gómez-Rioja; Jose Manuel Iturzaeta; Lisset Fernandez de Armas; Agustín Benito; Abraham Aseffa; Javier Moreno; Carmen Cañavate; Estefania Custodio Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-12-29 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Tafese Bosha; Christine Lambert; Simon Riedel; Aberra Melesse; Hans K Biesalski Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2019-06-19 Impact factor: 3.390