[Iron and vitamin A micronutrient status, risk factors for their deficiencies and anthropometric assessment in preschool child from Funza municipality, Colombia].
BACKGROUND
The malnutrition and deficiencias of iron and vitamin A are frequent in the Colombian population and are associated with biological and environmental risk factors.


OBJECTIVE
Prevalence of anemia, iron and vitamin A deficiencies and nutritional status was determined by anthropometric assessment in a population of preschool children in the municipality of Funza. Associations were made between micronutrient deficiency and other risk factors reported in the literature.


METHODS
The nutrition status of 287 child preschool was assessed by means of anthropometric evaluation, levels of hemoglobin, ferritin, and vitamin A in blood sera, in addition to fecal examination. A survey was administered to identify risk factors associated with these deficiencies.


RESULTS
Of these children, 40.8% showed anemia, 5.2% iron deficiency and 4.6% vitamin A deficiency. In addition, the children were generally malnourished. Significant associations were noted between low levels of hemoglobin, rented housing, lack of a nutritional program, low levels of vitamin A, and illness in the previous month. Nonsignificant, but statistical association was observed with other risk factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Incentive programs are necessary to improve the nutritional situation of the preschool children from Funza municipality, Colombia. Nutritional status can be determined by examination of levels of folic acid, vitamin B12, iron and vitamin A in association with social risk factors.
Poveda
Elpidia
E
Grupo de Nutrición, Subdirección de Investigación, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, D.C, Colombia. epoveda1@yahoo.com
Cuartas
Alexandra
A
Guarín
Saralicia
S
Forero
Yibby
Y
Villarreal
Elsa
E
D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*; D049628:Body Size; D001835:Body Weight; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000172:deficiency*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*
D018977:Micronutrients