title: Vitamin B12 serostatus in Colombian children and adult women: results from a nationally representative survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with many adverse health outcomes and is highly prevalent worldwide. The present study assesses the prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency and marginal deficiency in Colombian children and women and examines the sociodemographic correlates of serum vitamin B12 concentrations in these groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, nationally representative survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Colombia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children <18 years old (n 7243), pregnant women (n 1781), and non-pregnant women 18-49 years old (n 499).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency (serum vitamin B12<148 pmol/l) and marginal deficiency (serum vitamin B12=148-221 pmol/l) was, respectively, 6.6 % (95 % CI 5.2%, 8.3%) and 22.5% (95% CI 21.1%, 23.9%). Pregnant women had the highest prevalence of deficiency (18.9 %; 95 % CI 16.6 %, 21.5 %) compared with non-pregnant adult women (18.5%; 95% CI 4.4%, 53.1%) and children (2.8 %; 95 % CI 2.3 % %, 3.3 %). In multivariable analyses among children, mean serum vitamin B12 was positively associated with female sex (12 pmol/l higher compared with males; P=0.004), secondary or higher education of the household head (12 pmol/l higher compared with primary or less; P=0.009) and food security (21 pmol/l higher compared with severe food insecurity; P=0.003). In multivariable analyses among pregnant women, mean serum vitamin B12 was positively associated with education of the household head and inversely associated with living in the National territories, Eastern or Pacific regions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency and marginal deficiency in Colombian women and children is substantial. The burden falls largely on adult women, those with lowest education and those living in the poorest, most rural regions of the country.
authors: 1School of Nutrition and Dietetics,Faculty of Health,Industrial University of Santander,Carrera 32 No. 29-31,Office 304,Bucaramanga,Colombia.
authors: Oscar F
authors: OF
authors: Herrán
authors: 2Department of Epidemiology,University of Michigan School of Public Health,Ann Arbor,MI,USA.
authors: Julia B
authors: JB
authors: Ward
authors: 2Department of Epidemiology,University of Michigan School of Public Health,Ann Arbor,MI,USA.
authors: Eduardo
authors: E
authors: Villamor
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D039401:Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*; D014806:Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014805:Vitamin B 12
keywords: Colombia