Prevalence of vitamin A deficiency among pre-school and school-aged children in Arssi Zone, Ethiopia.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate vitamin A status of pre-school and school aged children in the study area.


METHODS
Cross-sectional.


METHODS
Arssi, Ethiopia.


METHODS
Four hundred and two children.


RESULTS
Night blindness, Bitots spot, corneal xerosis, corneal ulceration and corneal scar were observed in 7.2%, 2.2 %, 0.2%, 0.5%, and 0.5% of the children respectively. The prevalence of xerophthalmia was higher in school aged children than pre-school children (P< 0.0001). Based on the WHO recommended cut-off level, serum retinol levels were in the "low" range (<20 microl/dl) in 51% of the children.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a public health problem in Arssi, with higher prevalence among school aged children than pre-school children.
Asrat
Y T
YT
Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Omwega
A M
AM
Muita
J W G
JW
D017677:Age Distribution; D000886:Anthropometry; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009755:Night Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D014985:Xerophthalmia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology
D014801:Vitamin A