title: Sub clinical vitamin A deficiency and anemia among Vietnamese children less than five years of age.
abstract: The objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of sub clinical vitamin A deficiency and anemia in Vietnamese children. For this, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in 40 villages (clusters) of four ecological regions in Vietnam during Apr-May 2001. In total 1657 children less than 5 years old were included by a cluster random sampling method. The prevalence of sub clinical vitamin A deficiency (serum retinol <0.70 mumol/l) was 12.0% and the prevalence of anemia (hemoglobin <110g/l) was 28.4 %. 35.1%. In the children under 6 months the prevalence of sub clinical vitamin A deficiency was 35.1 % whereas the prevalence of anemia in this group was as high as 61.7%. The prevalence of children with both sub clinical vitamin A deficiency and anemia was 6.1%. Sub clinical vitamin A deficiency and anemia prevalence differed significantly across the regions, with highest prevalence in the Northern Mountainous areas for vitamin A deficiency and in the Northern Mountainous area and Mekong River Delta for anemia. It is concluded that sub clinical vitamin A deficiency and anemia are still important public health problems in Vietnam. Sustainable strategies for combating vitamin A deficiency and nutritional anemia are needed and should concentrate on target groups, especially infants and malnourished children in high risk regions.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Nutrition, 48B Tang Bat Ho, Hanoi, Vietnam. nckhan@hn.vnn.vn
authors.forename: Nguyen Cong
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Nguyen Xuan
authors.initials: NX
authors.lastname: Ninh
authors.forename: Nguyen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Van Nhien
authors.forename: Ha Huy
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Khoi
authors.forename: Clive E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Joseph G A J
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Hautvast
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D014801:Vitamin A