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http://ir.mu.ac.ke:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/9081
Title: | Health and nutritional status of children in Western Kenya in relation to vitamin a deficiency |
Authors: | Nabakwe, Esther C Ngare, Duncan K. |
Keywords: | Vitamin A Anaemia, Malaria parasitaemia, Acute phase proteins Young children |
Issue Date: | 1-Oct-2004 |
Publisher: | East African Journal of Public Health |
Abstract: | A cross-sectional study was conducted from September to December 1998 among 300 children aged 1-3 years in Bungoma district of western Kenya. This is an area endemic for malaria with a high prevalence of vitamin A deficiency. In 1993 the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency was 37.8%. In the present study effects of vitamin A deficiency on health and growth of children were studied. Twenty-nine percent (29%) of the children had severe vitamin A deficiency 92% had anaemia, 76% had malaria parasitaemia and 21% were stunted. Anthropometric measures significantly correlated with haemoglobin concentration (P value <0.0001). There was significant difference in the retinol levels of the stunted and normal children (P value = 0.02). Retinol concentration differed significantly among children with high and low C-reactive protein (P = 0.0004). Vitamin A deficiency and anaemia are a public health problem among the children studied. High prevalence of vitamin A deficiency and anaemia was associated with impaired growth. |
URI: | http://ir.mu.ac.ke:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/9081 |
Appears in Collections: | School of Medicine |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
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NABAKWE.pdf | 83.45 kB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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