Prevalência da carência de ferro e sua associação com a deficiência de vitamina A em pré-escolares

Abstract

Objectives: To identify the prevalence of iron deficiency in the population studied, as well as verifying if such deprivation is associated with vitamin A deficiency. Methods:One hundred seventy-nine children, > 24 months and < 72 months of age, with no diarrhea and/or fever at collection were studied. Vitamin A deficiency identification was carried out through serum 30-day doseresponse test. Samples of peripheral blood from fasting children was obtained for hemoglobin counts, serum iron, and unsaturated iron binding capacity assays. Information about the presence of diarrhea and/or fever during the 15 days preceding the study was also obtained.Results: 35.8% (64/179) of the children presented iron deficiency and 75.4% (135/179), vitamin A deficiency. 29.1% (52/179) of the children presented both iron and vitamin A deficiencies. Iron deficiency was not associated with vitamin A deficiency. A separate analysis for each hematimetric index also demonstrated no significant difference between children with or without vitamin A deficiency. Children aged 24 to 36 months presented significantly higher prevalence rates of iron deficiency (p = 0.0005) as did children with diarrhea and/or fever during the 15 days preceding the study (p = 0.003).Conclusions: Although iron deficiency was not associated with vitamin A deficiency, high rates of both deficiencies were exhibited in a healthy population with low malnutrition indices. Such situations are known as hidden hunger. Younger children presented a higher risk of iron deficiency as did children with diarrhea and/or fever during the 15 days preceding the study.

Nível sérico de zinco e sua associação com deficiência de vitamina A em crianças pré-escolares

“…6,20 Thus, in this population, zinc deficiency cannot be considered, in principle, as a risk factor for vitamin A deficiency, which is also corroborated by the fact that mean zinc serum levels did not differ between children with and without vitamin A deficiency. However, the lack of a reliable biological marker for zinc deficiency may mask the real role of this trace element in the genesis of vitamin A deficiency in this population, whereas, as it occurs in other micronutrients, due to a strict homeostatic control, zinc serum levels can be found within normal limits even in individuals with low body stores of this element; however, despite these limitations, zinc serum levels are still the most widely used biomarker for zinc status of the organism, since other biomarkers also showed limitations in addition to present major technical difficulties in its execution.…”

“…On the other hand, a study with children aged 6-13 years from poor rural communities of Thailand observed mean zinc serum levels of 62.7 µg/dL. 28 It is difficult to explain the observation of higher serum zinc values in our population, especially if we consider the high prevalence of both vitamin A and iron deficiency 6,20 among children studied, since zinc-rich foods (animal source)…”

“…In extreme cases, vitamin A deficiency may lead to blindness due to irreversible loss of the cornea. 18 As extensively reported literature, many children in developing countries 3,19,20 have simultaneous deficiency of various micronutrients. Thus, we may infer that when a child presents deficiency of a micronutrient it will also be at risk to have other concomitant deficiencies.…”

“…The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of zinc deficiency, as well as to verify its possible association with vitamin A deficiency in a population of children with high prevalence of this vitamin as observed in previous papers. 6,20 This work also tried to study the influence of possible risk factors for zinc deficiency, such as sex, age and episodes of diarrhea and fever, which were used in this study as markers of inflammation.…”

Desenvolvimento E Análise Sensorial De Preparações À Base De Arroz Fortificado (Ultra Rice®)

“…As defi ciências de micronutrientes confi guram-se como um importante problema de saúde pública emergente e de caráter mundial, mesmo em nível de carência subclínica ou marginal, sendo alvo de preocupação dos comitês nacionais e internacionais de saúde (FERRAZ et al, 2005). Dados da literatura comprovam o impacto das defi ciências de micronutrientes na morbidade e na mortalidade dos grupos populacionais mais vulneráveis.…”