Vitamin A deficiency among preschool children attending public day care centres of Recife: biochemical and dietetic indicators

• Autor(a) principal: FERNANDES, Taciana Fernanda dos Santos
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: DINIZ, Alcides da Silva, CABRAL, Poliana Coelho, OLIVEIRA, Rejane Santana, LÓLA, Margarida Maria de Freitas, SILVA, Solange Maria Miranda, KOLSTEREN, Patrick
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Revista de Nutrição
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.puc-campinas.edu.br/nutricao/article/view/9930
• topic: vitamin A deficiency; nutrients intake; child; preschool; deficiência de vitamina A; ingestão de nutrientes; pré-escolares

ObjectiveTo evaluate the extent of vitamin A deficiency among preschool children attending public day care centres in Recife, State of Pernambuco, Brazil.MethodsA cross-sectional survey involving 311 under 5-year-old children of both sexes, randomly selected, and assessed by biochemical (serum retinol), dietetic (vitamin A rich-food consumption) and anthropometric indicators (weight-for-height, weight-for-age and height-for-age).ResultsThe prevalence of hyporetinolemia (serum retinol <0.70µmol/L) was 7.0%, which characterizes the vitamin A deficiency as a mild public health problem, according to World Health Organization criteria. Approximately 78.0% of the children met the recommendation for vitamin A rich-food consumption proposed by the Dietary Reference Intakes, 2001. The serum retinol levels and vitamin A rich-food intake were homogeneously distributed between both genders. However, children between 12 and 48 months old were liable to have lower vitamin A rich-food intakes as compared to the other age groups (p<0.05). The prevalence of underweight was 7.5%, stunting 8.1% and acute malnutrition 1.8%. Vitamin A deficiency showed no correlation with protein-energy malnutrition (p>0.05). Vitamin A rich-food intake showed low sensitivity (43.0%) and a very low positive predictive value (6.8%) as a screening diagnostic test for vitamin A deficiency.ConclusionThe identification of vulnerable population groups, and the selection of reliable indicators for the assessment of vitamin A status, are both essential for the diagnosis and planning aimed at preventing and controlling vitamin A deficiency