Dietary vitamin A intake and the incidence of diarrhea and respiratory infection among Sudanese children.
The relationship of vitamin A deficiency and child survival has been documented in a number of studies but not in others, yet the relationship of vitamin A with child morbidity remains controversial. We prospectively examined the relationship of dietary vitamin A intake and the incidences of diarrhea and respiratory infection among 28,753 Sudanese children between the ages of 6 mo and 6 y. Total dietary vitamin A intake was strongly and inversely associated with the risk of diarrhea (multivariate risk in top relative to bottom quintile = 0.58, 95% confidence interval = 0.47-0.72); we also observed a strong inverse association with the risk of having cough and fever (0.60, 0.45-0.81). On the other hand, we noted a significantly positive association of dietary vitamin A intake and incidence of cough alone (1.69, 1.52-1.88), a sign that may be assocsated with a healthy respiratory epithelium. Vitamin A intake was also negatively associated with the risk of measles. These prospective data emphasize the importance of adequate dietary vitamin A intake to protect the health of children in developing countries.
Fawzi
W W
WW
Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Herrera
M G
MG
Willett
W C
WC
Nestel
P
P
el Amin
A
A
Mohamed
K A
KA
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003371:Cough / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004032:Diet; D005334:Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008457:Measles / Q000453:epidemiology; D009017:Morbidity; D012307:Risk Factors; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000592:standards*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology
D014801:Vitamin A