title: Vitamin A deficiency and low prevalence of anemia in Yaqui Indian children in northwest Mexico.
abstract: A study of 296 school-age Yaqui Indian children (6-10 y) was conducted in 26 rural communities. Vitamin A status was determined by retinol and carotenoid serum levels according to a method described previously (IVACG, 1982). Serum retinol and carotenoids in children were analyzed according to community size. Vitamin A intake was assessed in a sub-sample by means of a 24 h recall questionnaire. Serum retinol distribution showed that 6.3% of the children were below 10 microg/100 mL (0.35 micromol/L) and 40% were in the range of 10-20 microg/100 mL (0.35-0.70 micromol/L). Differences (p < 0.02) were found between small and large communities (Median, 95% CI): 19.2 (17.1, 20.9) microg/100 mL and 22.9 (20.3, 24.1) microg/100 mL. Serum carotenoid levels were significantly higher in large than in small and medium communities: 72 (68.2, 77.8) microg/100 mL versus 62.4 (53.3, 68.2) and 62.4 (55.7, 69.6) microg/100 mL, respectively. Food staples were wheat flour tortillas, pinto beans, corn tortillas, few animal products and scarce fresh vegetables. Mean vitamin A consumption was 244+/-29 microg RE (34.9% of the US RDA). Iron status showed that only 4 children were classified as anemic, with two of them having iron deficiency anemia. Iron deficient erythropoiesis was observed in 7.8% of the children and iron depletion only in 4.4%. The Yaqui diet seems to provide adequate amounts of iron but not of vitamin A or its precursors, which renders a vitamin A status of sub-clinical deficiency that could be considered a public health problem.
authors.affiliation: Dirección de Nutrición, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Hermosillo Sonora México.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Valencia
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Astiazarán
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Esparza
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Grijalva
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cervera
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zazueta
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001827:Body Height; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids; D007501:Iron