Prevalence of vitamin A deficiency in children aged 6-9 years in Wukro, northern Ethiopia.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency in children aged 6-9 years in northern Ethiopia.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was carried out and the data were analysed for 824 (61.5%) of 1339 eligible children for whom there was complete information on biochemical vitamin A status, dietary vitamin A intake, ocular examination for xerophthalmia, and anthropometry.


RESULTS
The prevalence of xerophthalmia was 5.8%; serum retinol levels were below 0.35 mumol/l and between 0.35 and 0.70 mumol/l in 8.4% and 51.1% of the children respectively. The liver vitamin A reserve (modified relative dose response ratio > or = 0.06) was low in 41.0% of the children.


CONCLUSIONS
The high prevalence of severe vitamin A deficiency in children aged 6-9 years indicates the need to reevaluate the practice of targeting vitamin A supplementation programmes on children under 6 years of age in areas where vitamin A deficiency is endemic.
Kassaye
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School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, 21, 111 Lakeshore Road, Ste Anne de Bellevue, PQ, H9X 3V9, Canada.
Receveur
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O
Johns
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Becklake
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MR
D000886:Anthropometry; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014985:Xerophthalmia / Q000209:etiology
D014801:Vitamin A