title: National vitamin A survey in Panama.
abstract: The prevalence of vitamin A deficiency in a nationally representative sample of children 12-59 months old in Panama was assessed using serum retinol levels and dietary indicators. The median serum retinol level found was 1.27 +/- 0.42 mumol/L (38 micrograms/dL); 6.0% of the study sample providing adequate blood specimens had levels below 0.7 mumol/L (20 micrograms/dL), indicating deficient vitamin A intake. The Panama City Metropolitan Area and the country's western region had the highest prevalences of low serum retinol levels (below 0.7 mumol/L in 9% and 6% of the study children, respectively), as compared to overall prevalences of 5% in the two other regions studied. Low serum retinol levels were significantly more prevalent among Indians in the study group (primarily Guaymí Indians) than among non-Indians (13% versus 5%). Dietary information provided by the study children's mothers showed that high risk of inadequate dietary vitamin A intake closely paralleled low serum retinol levels; specifically, the highest prevalence of dietary inadequacy was found in the western region, especially among the Indians. The Panamanian Government is currently increasing distribution of high-dose vitamin A capsules to Indian preschoolers in Chiriquí and Bocas del Toro Provinces.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Ministry of Health, Panama City, Panama.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Caballero
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D010176:Panama / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A