S Silva

Hipovitaminose A em pré-escolares de creches públicas do Recife: indicadores bioquímico e dietético

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the extent of vitamin A deficiency among preschool children attending public day care centres in Recife, State of Pernambuco, Brazil. METHODS: A 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). RESULTS: The prevalence of hyporetinolemia (serum retinol 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. CONCLUSION: The 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.

Nutritional assessment of iron status and anemia in children under 5 years old at public daycare centers.

OBJECTIVES To assess nutritional iron status and anemia prevalence in children less than 5 years old at public daycare centers in the city of Recife, PE, Brazil. METHODS A cross-sectional study, with a systematic random sampling of 162 children aged 6 to 59 months. Nutritional iron status was assessed in terms of body iron reserves (serum ferritin), transferrinemia (serum iron, total iron binding capacity, and transferrin saturation %), erythropoiesis (free erythrocyte protoporphyrin) and hemoglobin production (hemoglobin). RESULTS The prevalence of anemia (hemoglobin < 11.0 g/dL) was 55.6% (95%CI 47.3-63.5), evidence was found of depleted iron stocks (serum ferritin < 12.0 ng/mL) in 30.8% (95%CI 22.9-39.3), low transferrinemia levels (transferrin saturation % < 16) in 60.1% (95%CI 51.7-68.0) and deficient erythropoiesis (free erythrocyte protoporphyrin > 40 micromol/mol heme) in 69.6% (95%CI 61.0-77.1) of the children. Iron parameters were not correlated with sex (p > 0.05). However, children < 24 months exhibited lower hemoglobin concentrations (p < 0.00) and higher levels of free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (p < 0.000) and total iron binding capacity (p < 0.001) when compared with children > 24 months. The significant correlation observed between reserves, transferrinemia and erythropoiesis is a finding that is compatible with the expected lifecycle of iron in the body. CONCLUSIONS Iron deficiency and anemia appear to be an important public health problem among children less than 5 years old at public daycare centers in Recife. Therefore, effective actions aimed at the prevention and control of this deficiency are strongly recommended in this ecological context.

Avaliação do estado nutricional de ferro e anemia em crianças menores de 5 anos de creches públicas

OBJECTIVE: To assess nutritional iron status and anemia prevalence in children less than 5 years old at public daycare centers in the city of Recife, PE, Brazil. METHODS: A cross-sectional study, with a systematic random sampling of 162 children aged 6 to 59 months. Nutritional iron status was assessed in terms of body iron reserves (serum ferritin), transferrinemia (serum iron, total iron binding capacity, and transferrin saturation %), erythropoiesis (free erythrocyte protoporphyrin) and hemoglobin production (hemoglobin). RESULTS: The prevalence of anemia (hemoglobin 40 µmol/mol heme) in 69.6% (95%CI 61.0-77.1) of the children. Iron parameters were not correlated with sex (p > 0.05). However, children 24 months. The significant correlation observed between reserves, transferrinemia and erythropoiesis is a finding that is compatible with the expected lifecycle of iron in the body. CONCLUSIONS: Iron deficiency and anemia appear to be an important public health problem among children less than 5 years old at public daycare centers in Recife. Therefore, effective actions aimed at the prevention and control of this deficiency are strongly recommended in this ecological context.

Parameters of evaluation of zinc nutritional status: comparison between zinc hair rates and serum alkaline phosphatase in pre-scholars of the Municipality of João Pessoa, Paraíba

OBJETIVOS: avaliar o estado nutricional de zinco em criancas de dois a cinco de idade, institucionalizadas em creches do municipio de Joao Pessoa, Paraiba. METODOS: Utilizou-se uma amostra aleatoria sistematica, constituida de 377 criancas. O status nutricional de zinco foi avaliado pelos seguintes parâmetros: concentracoes do mineral no cabelo e niveis de atividade enzimatica da fosfatase alcalina serica. RESULTADOS: a prevalencia das concentracoes inadequadas de zinco no cabelo foi de 61,9% predominando a deficiencia na sua forma grave, 38,5%. A prevalencia das concentracoes inadequadas de niveis de atividade enzimatica da fosfatase alcalina serica foi de 40,1%. As concentracoes de zinco no cabelo nao mostraram correlacao com a fosfatase alcalina serica (r = 0,01; p = 0,882). A distribuicao do zinco no cabelo segundo sexo e idade foi homogenea; comportamento identico foi observado com a fosfatase alcalina. CONCLUSOES: a deficiencia de zinco mostrou-se extremamente elevada no municipio de Joao Pessoa.