Abstract
Objective To characterize the relationship between serum carotenoids, retinol and anaemia among pre-school children.Design A cross-sectional study was conducted in two groups: anaemic and non-anaemic. Serum levels of retinol,-carotene,-carotene,-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin were measured in the study subjects.Setting Six rural communes of Dinh Hoa, a rural and mountainous district in Thai Nguyen Province, in the northern mountainous region of Vietnam.Subjects A total of 682 pre-school children, aged 12-72 months, were recruited.Results Geometric mean serum concentrations of carotenoids (mol/l) were 0056 for-carotene, 0161 for-carotene, 0145 for-cryptoxanthin, 0078 for lycopene, 0388 for lutein and 0075 for zeaxanthin. The mean levels of Hb and serum retinol were 1088 g/l and 102 mol/l, respectively. The prevalence of anaemia and vitamin A deficiency was 537 % and 78 %, respectively. After adjusting for sex and stunting, serum retinol concentrations (mol/l; OR = 206, 95 % CI 110, 386, P = 0024) and total provitamin A carotenoids (mol/l; OR = 152, 95 % CI 101, 228, P = 0046) were independently associated with anaemia, but non-provitamin A carotenoids (mol/l; OR = 093, 95 % CI 063, 137, P = 0710) were not associated with anaemia.Conclusions Among pre-school children in the northern mountainous region of Vietnam, the prevalences of vitamin A deficiency and anaemia are high, and serum retinol and provitamin A carotenoids are independently associated with anaemia. Further studies are needed to determine if increased consumption of provitamin A carotenoids will reduce anaemia among pre-school children.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1863-1869 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Public health nutrition |
Volume | 13 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 2010 |
Keywords
- Anaemia
- Hb
- Non-provitamin A carotenoid
- Provitamin A carotenoid
- Retinol
- Vietnam
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine (miscellaneous)
- Nutrition and Dietetics
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health