The nutritional status of a rural community in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: the Ndunakazi project.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the nutritional status of six month to 11 year old rural Black children and their mothers as a first phase in a nutrition intervention project.


METHODS
Cross sectional study.


METHODS
A rural African community +/- 60 km northwest of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.


METHODS
A random sample of 127 mothers and 105 pre-school and 131 primary school children were selected from this community.


METHODS
Anthropometric (height and weight), biochemical and dietary and socio-demographic information was collected.


RESULTS
Among the pre-schoolers anaemia was present in 23.8%, iron deficiency in 19.8%, while marginal vitamin A deficiency was observed in 44.9%. Urinary iodine levels indicated moderate iodine deficiency in 31.8% and severe iodine deficiency in 9.1%. In primary school children the prevalence of anaemia was 22%, while marginal vitamin A deficiency was observed in 50.8%. Moderate iodine deficiency was observed in 37.9% of primary school children while 13.6% presented with severe iodine deficiency. The prevalence of goitre in this group was 22.1%. Almost 22% of mothers were anaemic and 18.9% were iron deficient. Only 1.6% of mothers were marginally vitamin A deficient. An enlarged thyroid was observed in 26.7% of mothers of which 17.3% were palpable and 9.4% visible. Of mothers 43.4% were overweight while 33.8% were obese.


CONCLUSIONS
The rural community in KwaZulu-Natal, showed a high prevalence of anaemia, marginal vitamin A deficiency and iodine deficiency. The information gathered during this cross sectional study served as a basis to plan and implement an intervention study aimed at addressing the nutritional deficiencies.
Oelofse
A
A
National Research Programme for Nutritional Intervention of the Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa. aoelofse@mrc.ac.za
Faber
M
M
Benadé
J G
JG
Benadé
A J
AJ
Kenoyer
D G
DG
D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D000886:Anthropometry; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007455:Iodine / Q000172:deficiency; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology
D007455:Iodine