scholarly journals Factors associated with low serum retinol levels in children aged 6–24 months in a rural South African community

2000 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 395-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mieke Faber ◽  
AJ Spinnler Benadé
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Vitamin A ◽  
South African ◽  
Serum Retinol ◽  
Rural South ◽  
Vitamin A Status ◽  
Potential Risk Factors ◽  
African Community ◽  
Home Deliveries ◽  
Low Serum

AbstractObjectiveTo identify risk factors for variation in serum retinol levels in children younger than 2 years of age in a rural South African community.DesignChildren (n=97), 6–24 months of age, were divided into two groups according to their serum retinol levels, using 20 μg dl−1as the cut-off point. The chi-square test, Fischer exact two-tailed test and analysis of variance were used to identify related variables which were significantly different between the two groups. To evaluate simultaneously the association between several potential risk factors and low serum retinol levels, a multiple regression model for categorical data was developed which included potential risk factors that were statistically significant in the bivariate analysis as the independent variables, and either low or normal vitamin A status as the dependent variable.ResultsThere was an association between serum retinol levels and: (i) the place of birth (hospital vs. home deliveries); (ii) the attitude of the care-giver towards family life; and (iii) the health status of the child. Although not included in the multiple variable model because of small numbers, all children who had a previous episode of measles, all underweight children, and all children of widowed care-givers were in the low serum retinol group.ConclusionsThe care-giver's attitude towards family life was positively associated with the child's vitamin A status, while home deliveries were associated with a low vitamin A status.

scholarly journals Vitamin A status does not influence neopterin production during illness or health in South African children

1998 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne M. Filteau ◽  
John G. Raynes ◽  
Karin Simmank ◽  
Lucy A. Wagstaff
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
South African ◽  
Acute Phase ◽  
Acute Phase Protein ◽  
Serum Retinol ◽  
African Children ◽  
Vitamin A Status ◽  
Phase Protein ◽  
Ifn Γ ◽  
Urinary Neopterin

Excessive interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) production appears to be a primary immunological lesion in vitamin A-deficient experimental animals but comparable data from humans is lacking. We investigated IFN-γ production in South African children by measurement of urinary excretion of neopterin, a product of IFN-γ-activated monocytes or macrophages. Preschool children were examined during an acute inflammatory illness resulting from accidental ingestion of kerosene and they and a neighbourhood control child were examined 3 months later when well. Vitamin A status was assessed by the modified relative dose response (MRDR) test at 3 months and serum retinol and acute phase proteins were measured at both time points. Urinary neopterin was measured for forty cases in hospital, forty-six cases after recovery, and forty-one controls. Significantly increased neopterin excretion was seen following kerosene ingestion and in association with raised serum acute phase protein concentrations. There was no relationship between neopterin excretion at either time point and vitamin A status as assessed by MRDR test. Urinary neopterin was negatively correlated with serum retinol but no significant relationship was observed when acute phase protein concentrations were included in a multiple regression, suggesting the correlation was secondary to illness-induced changes in serum retinol. The results indicate that, contrary to what is observed in rodents under experimental conditions, poor vitamin A status is not associated with altered regulation of IFN-γ production in children.

scholarly journals Increased vitamin A intake in children aged 2–5 years through targeted home-gardens in a rural South African community

2002 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mieke Faber ◽  
Sonja L Venter ◽  
AJ Spinnler Benadé
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
South African ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Rural South ◽  
Home Based ◽  
African Community ◽  
Production Programme ◽  
One Year ◽  
Β Carotene

AbstractObjectives:To determine vitamin A intake of children aged 2–5 years in a rural South African community one year after the implementation of a home-based food production programme targeting β-carotene-rich fruits and vegetables.Design:Dietary intake of children aged 2–5 years was determined during a cross-sectional survey before and one year after the implementation of a home-based food production programme.Setting:A low socio-economic rural African community, approximately 60 km north-west of the coastal city of Durban in kwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Subjects:Children aged 2–5 years (n=100); 50 children from households with home-gardens producing β-carotene fruits and vegetables (project gardens), and 50 children from households without project gardens.Results:As compared with baseline data, there was a significant increase in vitamin A intake in children from households with project gardens as well as in children from households without project gardens. However, children from households with project gardens had a significantly higher vitamin A intake than children from households without project gardens. The increased vitamin A intake in those children from households without project gardens can be attributed to the availability of butternuts in the local shop (as a result of the project), and because the mothers negotiated with project garden mothers to obtain these fruits and vegetables for their children.Conclusion:A home-based food production programme targeting β-carotene-rich fruits and vegetables can lead to an increase in vitamin A intake.

scholarly journals Diabetes and Other Disorders of Glycemia in a Rural South African Community: Prevalence and associated risk factors

Diabetes Care ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 31 (9) ◽  
pp. 1783-1788 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A. Motala ◽  
T. Esterhuizen ◽  
E. Gouws ◽  
F. J. Pirie ◽  
M. A.K. Omar
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
South African ◽  
Rural South ◽  
African Community ◽  
Associated Risk Factors

scholarly journals Nutritional status and dietary practices of 4–24-month-old children from a rural South African community

1999 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mieke Faber ◽  
AJS Benadé
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
South African ◽  
Iron Status ◽  
Animal Origin ◽  
Growth Monitoring ◽  
Dietary Practices ◽  
Rural South ◽  
African Community

AbstractObjectivesTo assess the nutritional status and dietary practices of 4–24-month-old children (under-twos) in a rural South African community.DesignCross-sectional survey.SettingA low socioeconomic rural African community (Ndunakazi), approximately 60 km north-west of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.SubjectsChildren (n= 115), 4–24 months old who attended growth monitoring posts in the area.ResultsOf these under-twos, 37.3% had low vitamin A status (serum retinol < 20 μg dl−1), 65.2% were anaemic, 43.2% had serum ferritin levels < 10 μgl−1(an indicator of low iron stores) and 15.3% were stunted. Breastfeeding was initiated by 99% of mothers. At the time of the survey, 80% of infants in the 4–12-month-old category and 56.9% of children in the 12–24-month-old category were being breastfed. Solid foods were introduced at 3.6 ± 0.8 months. Food intake reflected a high intake of carbohydrate-rich foods, and irregular intakes of fruit and vegetables, especially those rich in vitamin A. Foods of animal origin were not consumed regularly. Of these under-twos, 15.9% experienced an episode of diarrhoea during 2 weeks prior to the survey.ConclusionThese under-twos had a poor vitamin A and iron status. Nutrition education, intervention programmes and feeding schemes should address micronutrient deficiencies, with the focus on the quality of the diet, rather than quantity.

Research Recommendations for Applying Vitamin A-Labelled Isotope Dilution Techniques to Improve Human Vitamin A Nutrition

2014 ◽  
Vol 84 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 52-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherry A. Tanumihardjo ◽  
Anura V. Kurpad ◽  
Janet R. Hunt
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Vitamin A ◽  
Vitamin A Deficiency ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
The Body ◽  
Pool Size ◽  
Serum Retinol ◽  
Vitamin A Status ◽  
Status Assessment ◽  
Total Body

The current use of serum retinol concentrations as a measurement of subclinical vitamin A deficiency is unsatisfactory for many reasons. The best technique available for vitamin A status assessment in humans is the measurement of total body pool size. Pool size is measured by the administration of retinol labelled with stable isotopes of carbon or hydrogen that are safe for human subjects, with subsequent measurement of the dilution of the labelled retinol within the body pool. However, the isotope techniques are time-consuming, technically challenging, and relatively expensive. There is also a need to assess different types of tracers and doses, and to establish clear guidelines for the use and interpretation of this method in different populations. Field-friendly improvements are desirable to encourage the application of this technique in developing countries where the need is greatest for monitoring the risk of vitamin A deficiency, the effectiveness of public health interventions, and the potential of hypervitaminosis due to combined supplement and fortification programs. These techniques should be applied to validate other less technical methods of assessing vitamin A deficiency. Another area of public health relevance for this technique is to understand the bioconversion of β-carotene to vitamin A, and its relation to existing vitamin A status, for future dietary diversification programs.

scholarly journals The effects of maternal and infant vitamin A supplementation on vitamin A status: a randomised trial in Kenya

2007 ◽  
Vol 98 (2) ◽  
pp. 422-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Ayah ◽  
D. L. Mwaniki ◽  
P. Magnussen ◽  
A. E. Tedstone ◽  
T. Marshall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Randomised Trial ◽  
Maternal Serum ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Serum Retinol ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Vitamin A Supplementation ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Vitamin A Status

Postpartum vitamin A supplementation of mothers and infants is recommended, but the efficacy has been questioned. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, Kenyan mother–infant pairs were randomised to maternal vitamin A (400 000 IU) or placebo < 24 h postpartum, and infant vitamin A (100 000 IU) or placebo at 14 weeks. Milk retinol was determined at weeks 4, 14 and 26, and maternal and infant serum retinol at weeks 14 and 26. Infant retinol stores were assessed at week 26, using a modified relative dose response (MRDR) test. Among 564 women, serum retinol at 36 weeks gestation was 0·81 (sd 0·21) μmol/l, and 33·3 % were < 0·7 μmol/l. Maternal serum retinol was not different between groups, but milk retinol was higher in the vitamin A group: (0·67 v. 0·60 μmol/l; 0·52 v. 0·44 μmol/l; 0·50 v. 0·44 μmol/l at 4, 14 and 26 weeks, respectively). When expressed per gram fat, milk retinol was higher in the vitamin A group only at 4 weeks. Infant serum retinol was not different between groups. However, although most infants had deficient vitamin A stores (MRDR>0·06 %) at 26 weeks, vitamin A to infants, but not mothers, resulted in a lower proportion of infants with deficient vitamin A stores (69 v. 78 %). High-dose postpartum vitamin A supplementation failed to increase serum retinol and infant stores, despite modest effects on milk retinol. Infant supplementation, however, increased stores. There is a need for a better understanding of factors affecting absorption and metabolism of vitamin A.

Red Palm Oil Supplementation: A Feasible Diet-Based Approach to Improve the Vitamin A Status of Pregnant Women and Their Infants

2003 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 208-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. S. Radhika ◽  
P. Bhaskaram ◽  
N. Balakrishna ◽  
B. A. Ramalakshmi
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
Palm Oil ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Serum Retinol ◽  
Groundnut Oil ◽  
Red Palm Oil ◽  
Vitamin A Status ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Mean

This double-blinded, randomized, controlled study was designed to study the effect of dietary supplementation with red palm oil during pregnancy on maternal and neonatal vitamin A status. A total of 170 women were recruited at 16 to 24 weeks of gestation and randomly assigned to an experimental group that received red palm oil to supply approximately one recommended dietary amount (RDA) (2,400 μg) of β-carotene or to a control group that received an equivalent volume of groundnut oil. The women received the oils for a period of 8 weeks, starting at 26 to 28 weeks of gestation and extending to 34 to 36 weeks of gestation. The mean postintervention (34 to 36 weeks) levels of serum retinol were 1.20 ± 0.22 (SD) μmol/L (95% CI, 1.15–1.25) in women receiving red palm oil and 0.73 ± 0.15 μmol/L (95% CI, 0.69–0.77) in their infants; these levels were significantly higher than those in women receiving groundnut oil (1.07 ± 0.26 μmol/L; 95% CI, 1.01–1.13; p < .01) and their infants (0. 62 ± 0.17 μmol/L; 95% CI, 0.57–0.67; p < .001). A significantly lower proportion of women in the red palm oil group than in the control group had vitamin A deficiency (serum retinol levels < 0.7 μmol/L) after intervention (1.5% vs. 9.7%). The proportion of women having anemia was significantly lower (p < .01) in the red palm oil-supplemented group (80.6%) than in the control group (96.7%). The mean birthweight and gestational age of the infants did not differ significantly between the two groups. An increased risk of low birthweight (p = . 003) and preterm delivery (p = . 000) was observed with decreasing serum retinol levels in the third trimester of pregnancy. These results show that red palm oil supplementation significantly improved maternal and neonatal vitamin A status and reduced the prevalence of maternal anemia. Maternal vitamin A status in the later part of pregnancy is significantly associated with fetal growth and maturation. Hence red palm oil, a rich source of bioavailable vitamin A, could be used as a diet-based approach for improving vitamin A status in pregnancy.

scholarly journals Cassava with enhanced β-carotene maintains adequate vitamin A status in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) despite substantial cis-isomer content

2009 ◽  
Vol 102 (3) ◽  
pp. 342-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie A. Howe ◽  
Bussie Maziya-Dixon ◽  
Sherry A. Tanumihardjo
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
Vitamin A Deficiency ◽  
Meriones Unguiculatus ◽  
Provitamin A ◽  
Carotenoid Content ◽  
Mongolian Gerbils ◽  
Serum Retinol ◽  
Vitamin A Status ◽  
Isomer Content ◽  
Β Carotene

Efforts to increase β-carotene in cassava have been successful, but the ability of high-β-carotene cassava to prevent vitamin A deficiency has not been determined. Two studies investigated the bioefficacy of provitamin A in cassava and compared the effects of carotenoid content and variety on vitamin A status in vitamin A-depleted Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). Gerbils were fed a vitamin A-free diet 4 weeks prior to treatment. In Expt 1, treatments (ten gerbils per group) included 45 % high-β-carotene cassava, β-carotene and vitamin A supplements (intake matched to high-β-carotene cassava group), and oil control. In Expt 2, gerbils were fed cassava feeds with 1·8 or 4·3 nmol provitamin A/g prepared with two varieties. Gerbils were killed after 4 weeks. For Expt 1, liver vitamin A was higher (P < 0·05) in the vitamin A (1·45 (sd 0·23) μmol/liver), lower in the control (0·43 (sd 0·10) μmol/liver), but did not differ from the β-carotene group (0·77 (sd 0·12) μmol/liver) when compared with the high-β-carotene cassava group (0·69 (sd 0·20) μmol/liver). The bioconversion factor was 3·7 μg β-carotene to 1 μg retinol (2 mol:1 mol), despite 48 % cis-β-carotene [(Z)-β-carotene] composition in cassava. In Expt 2, cassava feed with 4·3 nmol provitamin A/g maintained vitamin A status. No effect of cassava variety was observed. Serum retinol concentrations did not differ. β-Carotene was detected in livers of gerbils receiving cassava and supplements, but the cis-to-trans ratio in liver differed from intake. Biofortified cassava adequately maintained vitamin A status and was as efficacious as β-carotene supplementation in the gerbil model.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document