title: Vitamin A status and nutrient intake in a rural community in southern Ghana.
abstract: The present study was designed to assess the vitamin A status in a rural community (Gomoa Onyadze) in southern Ghana, to determine if there is any vitamin A deficiency in the community and also to estimate the nutrient intake of the inhabitants to see if the levels conform to the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). Results of serum vitamin A analysis indicated that out of total of 263 subjects (3-60 years) screened, 0.76% had deficient vitamin A level of < 10 micrograms/1); 11.79% had low levels of 10-20 micrograms/dl; 83.65% had adequate levels of 20-50 micrograms/dl, while 3.80% had high levels (> 50 micrograms/dl). Since the deficient group (i.e. < 10 micrograms/dl) was less than 5% of total subjects screened, it is concluded that there is no vitamin A deficiency in the community. Dietary intake measurements showed that nutrient intake in subjects with normal or abnormal levels of vitamin A are similar and are, with some exceptions (energy, vitamin-thiamine, riboflavin and niacin), acceptable when compared with the RDA.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Unit, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon.
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Takyi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rikimaru
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: D O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Kennedy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012424:Rural Population; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control