title: Dietary vitamin A intake and serum retinol concentrations of preschool children from different socio-economical levels in Izmir, Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vitamin A deficiency (VAD), especially in its subclinical form, is a world health problem in young children. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of VAD among preschool children in various socio-economic groups in Izmir, Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and one children aged 24-59 months were selected for the study with cluster sampling method. A questionnaire was completed by the parents, and the dietary pattern was assessed by using a 3-day dietary record method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean serum retinol concentration of the children was 28.3 ± 10.2 μg/dL. Serum vitamin A concentration of two children (2%) was below 10 μg/dL (VAD), whereas 18 (18%) children had vitamin A concentrations between 10 and 20 μg/dL (subclinical deficiency). We did not find any relationship between mean serum retinol concentrations and the independent variables such as socio-economical levels, age groups, birth weight and gestational age. However, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between serum retinol concentrations and weight-for-age and weight-for-height Z scores of the children (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because one-fifth of the children under 5 years have VAD in Izmir, Turkey, nutrition education must be given to the families during well-child care visits, and routine vitamin supplementation should be considered especially in children with malnutrition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey. midyatlev@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Midyat
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zafer Kurugöl
authors.forename: Sadık
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akşit
authors.forename: Mahir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanrıverdi
authors.forename: Raşit Vural
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Yağcı
mesh_terms: D001835:Body Weight; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A