title: Evaluation of indicators for use in vitamin A intervention trials targeted at women.
abstract: This paper examines the ability of three indicators to detect changes in women's vitamin A status. Serum retinol concentration, milk vitamin A concentration, and milk vitamin A per gram milk fat were used to assess the vitamin A status of mildly deficient Indonesian women before and after supplementation in a randomized intervention trial. Choice of indicator made a fourfold difference in the sample size required to measure a statistically significant change in vitamin A status. Milk vitamin A per gram milk fat was the best indicator of response, milk vitamin A concentration was intermediate, and serum retinol concentration performed most poorly. Serum retinol concentration was equally responsive across the range of vitamin A status in this population. The milk indicators were more responsive among women of lower status than women of higher status. Milk vitamin A is an efficient indicator for monitoring the effects of vitamin A interventions in women.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Stoltzfus
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Habicht
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hakimi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D012372:ROC Curve; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A