Prevalence of Undernutrition and Vitamin A Deficiency in the Dogon Region, Mali
摘要:
Objectives: A representative sample of 1510 preschool children living in the Bandiagra circle (Mopti Region, Mali) was examined between March and April 1997 to determine the level of vitamin A deficiency.Methods: Using a randomized two level cluster sampling, 20 clusters of 75 children aged six months to six years were selected for evaluating xerophthalmia (XN night blindness and/or X1B Bitot spot). Concurrently stature and weight were determined. A semiquantitative seven-day dietary questionnaire was applied to the mothers of 484 infants to assess consumption of vitamin A rich foodstuffs. The prevalence of biochemical deficiency was attested using the Modified Relative Dose Response test (MRDR) on a sub-sample of 192.Results: Of the studied children, 4.3% (95% Confidence interval [Cl]: 3.2-5.3) reported night blindness and 2% (95% Cl: 1.3-2.7) bad Bitot spots. Prevalence of xerophthalmia attested by at least one of these signs was 5.4% (95% Cl: 4.2-6.5). The prevalence reached 10.5% at three years of age. The MRDR test proved abnormal in 77.1% of the subjects (95% Cl: 70.3-82.7). Serum retinol was lower than 0.35 mumol/L, in 43.8% (95.6% Cl: 36.9-51.3) and less than 0.70 mumol/L in 92.7% of the children (95% Cl: 87.8-95.8). Weekly consumption of vitamin A rich food was rare: 75.8% had not eaten any animal vitamin A rich food, and 22.1% had consumed less than seven times a vitamin A rich food of either vegetable or animal origin.Conclusions: These data define vitamin A deficiency as a severe public health problem in the Bandiagara area of Mali.
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