title: Serum vitamin A levels of preschool children in a Nigerian rural community.
abstract: A study was carried out to determine the serum vitamin A levels of 250 preschool children in a rural community in eastern Nigeria. The children were aged between 2 months and 5 years and comprised 117 boys and 133 girls. A total of 23 (9.2%) children had 'deficient levels' (< 10 micrograms/dl) and 41 (16.4%) had 'low levels' (< 20 micrograms/dl) according to the Interdepartmental Committee on Nutrition for National Defence criteria for the interpretation of serum vitamin A levels. The sex distribution showed that 14 (11.97%) boys and nine (6.77%) girls had deficiency levels. A history of night blindness was obtained in six (3.7%) of 162 children aged 3-5 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu.
authors.forename: O N
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Uzoechina
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Okoro
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D009755:Night Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology; D012423:Rural Health; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A