title: Prevalence and public health relevance of micronutrient deficiencies and undernutrition in pre-school children and women of reproductive age in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide nationally representative data on the prevalence of anaemia, vitamin A and Fe deficiencies among pre-school age children (pre-SAC) and non-pregnant women of reproductive age (WRA), and on vitamin B₁₂ and folate deficiencies in WRA, and the influence of inflammation on their interpretation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey to measure anthropometry, malaria parasitaemia and micronutrient status. Specifically, blood samples were analysed for Hb, plasma ferritin, soluble transferrin receptors, C-reactive protein, α₁-acid glycoprotein, retinol-binding protein, vitamin B₁₂ and folate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Côte d'Ivoire in 2007.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine hundred and twenty-eight WRA and 879 pre-SAC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In WRA, prevalence of Plasmodium parasitaemia (5 %) was low, but inflammation (34 %) was higher. Anaemia was a severe public health problem and prevalence differed by residency and eco-region. Inflammation-adjusted Fe deficiency was highest in urban areas (20 %). Nationally, folate deficiency was 86 %, higher in urban areas and varied by eco-region. Prevalence of vitamin B₁₂ deficiency was low but higher in the rural areas and the north. Inflammation-adjusted vitamin A deficiency was very low (1 %). In pre-SAC, prevalence of inflammation (67 %) and Plasmodium parasites (25 %) was high; the latter was associated with poverty, rural residency and higher ferritin concentrations. Anaemia was classified as a severe public health problem (72 %), and was higher in rural areas (76 %) and the north (87 %). A quarter of pre-SAC suffered from vitamin A deficiency (inflammation-adjusted) and prevalence of undernutrition was high.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prevalence of inflammation, Plasmodium parasitaemia and micronutrient deficiencies were high in Côte d'Ivoire, particularly in pre-SAC. Nutritional interventions should be accompanied by strategies to reduce exposure to infections.
authors.affiliation: 1GroundWork LLC,40b Les Landes,1299 Crans-près-Céligny,Switzerland.
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rohner
authors.affiliation: 2GAIN - Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition,Geneva,Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Northrop-Clewes
authors.affiliation: 3Centre Suisse des Recherches Scientifiques,Abidjan,Côte d'Ivoire.
authors.forename: Andres B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Tschannen
authors.affiliation: 4Helen Keller International Côte d'Ivoire,Abidjan,Côte d'Ivoire.
authors.forename: Patrice E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Bosso
authors.affiliation: 5Direction de l'Information de la Planification et de l'Evaluation,Ministère de la Santé et de l'Hygiène Publique, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kouassi-Gohou
authors.affiliation: 6SEAMEO-TROPMED,University of Jakarta,Jakarta,Indonesia.
authors.forename: Juergen G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Erhardt
authors.affiliation: 7Swiss Vitamin Institute,Epalinges,Switzerland.
authors.forename: Mai
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bui
authors.affiliation: 8Institute of Food Science and Nutrition,ETH Zurich,Switzerland.
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.affiliation: 9Department of Biological Anthropology,University of Cambridge,Cambridge,UK.
authors.forename: C G Nicholas
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Mascie-Taylor
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002657:Child Development; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000208:ethnology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D007560:Cote d'Ivoire / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000208:ethnology; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health / Q000208:ethnology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014504:Urban Health / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018977:Micronutrients