Response to an iron fortification programme in relation to vitamin A status in 6-12-year-old school children
Date
1997
Authors
Van Stuijvenberg M.E.
Kruger M.
Badenhorst C.J.
Mansvelt E.P.G.
Laubscher J.A.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Plasma retinol and indices of iron status were measured in 148 school children (6-12 years) receiving a soup fortified with iron and vitamin C for a period of 15 weeks. The most significant change in serum iron (P = 0.0005) and transferrin saturation (P = 0.0002) was seen in subjects with plasma retinol ≤ 40 μg/dl, while subjects with plasma retinol < 20 μg/dl showed no response. Serum ferritin improved most in the retinol categories < 40 μg/dl, suggesting that the absorption of iron was not impaired by marginal vitamin A status, but that it was rather the mobilisation of iron from stores that was affected. Changes in vitamin A status correlated positively and significantly with changes in serum iron (r = 0.37; P = 0.0001) transferrin saturation (r = 0.27; P = 0.004) and haemoglobin (v = 0.21; P = 0.03), but negatively with serum ferritin (r = -0.28; P = 0.003). The presence of marginal vitamin A deficiency in a community may limit the effectiveness of an iron intervention programme and vitamin A status should therefore also be considered when such programmes are planned.
Description
Keywords
ascorbic acid, hemoglobin, iron, retinol, transferrin, article, child, diet supplementation, ferritin blood level, human, iron blood level, iron kinetics, normal human, nutritional status, retinol deficiency, vitamin blood level, Ascorbic Acid, Child, Ferritins, Food, Fortified, Hematocrit, Hemoglobins, Humans, Iron, Nutritional Status, South Africa, Transferrin, Vitamin A
Citation
International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition
48
1
48
1