Browsing by Subject "Nutritional Status"

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    Full-term, peri-urban South African infants under 6 months of age are at risk for early-onset anaemia
    (2004) Sibeko, L N; Dhansay, M A; Charlton, K E; Johns, T; Van Stuijvenberg, M E; Gray-Donald, K
    OBJECTIVE: There is a paucity of data on the micronutrient status of low-income, lactating South African women and their infants under 6 months of age. The aim of this study was to elucidate the level of anaemia and vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in peri-urban breast-feeding women and their young infants. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study including anthropometric, biochemical and infant feeding data. SETTING: Peri-urban settlement in Cape Town, South Africa. SUBJECTS: Breast-feeding women (n=113) and their infants (aged 1-6 months) attending a peri-urban clinic. RESULTS: Mean (standard deviation (SD)) haemoglobin (Hb) of the lactating mothers was 12.4 (1.3) g dl(-1), with 32% found to be anaemic (Hb<12 g dl(-1)). Maternal serum retinol was 49.8 (SD 13.3) microg dl(-1), with 4.5% VAD. Using breast milk, mean (SD) retinol concentration was found to be 70.6 (24.6) microg dl(-1) and 15.7 (8.3) microg/g milk fat, with 13% below the cut-off level of <8 microg/g fat. There was no correlation found between breast milk retinol and infant serum retinol. Z-scores (SD) of height-for-age, weight-for-age and weight-for-height were -0.69 (0.81), 0.89 (1.01) and 1.78 (0.83), respectively. Mean (SD) infant Hb was 10.9 (1.1) g dl(-1), with the prevalence of anaemia being 50%, 33% and 12% using Hb cut-offs below 11 g dl(-1), 10.5 g dl(-1) and 9.5 g dl(-1), respectively. Mean (SD) infant serum retinol was 26.9 (7.2) microg dl(-1), with 10% being VAD. None of the infants was exclusively breast-fed, 22% were predominantly breast-fed and 78% received complementary (mixed) breast-feeding. Thirty-two per cent of infants received weaning foods at an exceptionally young age (< or =1 month old). CONCLUSION: A high rate of anaemia is present in lactating women residing in resource-poor settings. Moreover, their seemingly healthy infants under 6 months of age are at an elevated risk of developing early-onset anaemia and at lower risk of VAD.
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    Prevalence and determinants of stunting and overweight in 3-year-old black South African children residing in the Central Region of Limpopo Province, South Africa
    (2005) Mamabolo, Ramoteme L; Alberts, Marianne; Steyn, Nelia P; Delemarre-van de Waal, Henriette A; Levitt, Naomi S
    OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of stunting, wasting and overweight and their determinants in 3-year-old children in the Central Region of Limpopo Province, South Africa. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Rural villages in the Central Region of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. SUBJECTS: One hundred and sixty-two children who were followed from birth were included in the study. Anthropometric measurements and sociodemographic characteristics of the children were recorded. RESULTS: Height-for-age Z-scores were low, with a high prevalence of stunting (48%). The children also exhibited a high prevalence of overweight (22%) and obesity (24%). Thirty-one (19%) children were both stunted and overweight. Gaining more weight within the first year of life increased the risk of being overweight at 3 years by 2.39 times (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.96-4.18) while having a greater length at 1 year was protective against stunting (odds ratio (OR) 0.41; 95% CI 0.17-0.97). Having a mother as a student increased the risk for stunting at 3 years by 18.21 times (95% CI 9.46-34.74) while having a working mother increased the risk for overweight by 17.87 times (95% CI 8.24-38.78). All these factors also appeared as risks or as being protective in children who were both overweight and stunted, as did living in a household having nine or more persons (OR 5.72; 95% CI 2.7-12.10). CONCLUSION: The results of this study highlight the importance of evaluating anthropometric status in terms of both stunting and overweight. Furthermore, it is important to realise the importance of normal length and weight being attained at 1 year of age, since these in turn predict nutritional status at 3 years of age.