Table 1: Prevalence of iron deficiency and confidence interval by age group, without adjustment and after adjusting for ferritin concentrations in the presence of inflammation n: number of individuals with inflammation; N: number of total individuals in the group. The increase in the cut-off point approach (higher cut-off; AGP + CRP) considers individuals with high […]

INTRODUCTION Ferritin is the best biomarker for assessing iron deficiency, but ferritin concentrations increase with inflammation. Several adjustment methods have been proposed to account for inflammation’s effect on iron biomarker interpretation. The most recent and highly recommended method uses linear regression models, but more research is needed on other models that may better define iron […]

A nationwide study was performed in Cuba to assess vitamin A status and the intake of vitamin-A-providing foods in children aged 6–11 years. The sample comprised 1191 schoolchildren from first to sixth grade, both sexes, from municipalities randomly selected from the five eastern provinces of Cuba in 2002 (first semester) and from the four western and four central provinces in 2003 (first semester). A food-frequency questionnaire was completed by 2038 mother-and-child pairs. Mean (±standard deviation) plasma retinol concentrations were 1.77 ± 0.48 μmol l⁻¹in the western, 2.01 ± 0.56 μmol l⁻¹in the central and 1.40 ± 0.41 μmol l⁻¹in the eastern region. No child had plasma retinol concentration below 0.35 μmol l⁻¹, indicative of a high risk of clinical deficiency. Subclinical deficiency, plasma retinol concentration of 0.35–0.7 μmol l⁻¹, was seen in <2% of subjects in all three regions and was 1.05 μmol l⁻¹) was present in >90% of subjects in all western and central provinces, and in one of the eastern provinces (Holguín), whereas in the four remaining eastern provinces, adequate status was present in >75%. Only nine fruits and vegetables were consumed frequently (>3 times per week) by >50% of children. Thirty-seven per cent regularly consumed a supplement containing vitamin A. Most Cuban children aged 6–11 years had adequate vitamin A status. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin and provitamin A, especially vegetables, was frequent but limited to a small variety of foods.

Anemia in children less than five years of age is the main nutritional problem in Cuba. The aim of this study was to assess the intake of iron-rich foods (IRF) and of enhancers of iron absorption (EIA) in children living in the five eastern provinces of Cuba and its association with anemia in 2005, 2008 and 2011. A food frequency questionnaire of 6 months and hemoglobin determination were used. Intake increased in red meat and poultry (44.2% to 60.4%), eggs (38.7% to 58.6%) and vegetables (47.6% to 56.2%); decreased in fruit (73.2% to 55.8%) and legumes (87.7% to 57.7%). The prevalence of anemia in children 6 to 11 months old showed a decrease (62.1% to 44.3%). A reduction in the prevalence of anemia in infants 12-23 months old was found in 2008 compared with 2005 and reversed slightly in 2011, a similar finding was observed in children 2-5 years old. There was a consistent association of anemia with low intake of eggs, vegetables and fruits, but and not with low intake of legumes. Children who attended daycare center ate more iron-rich foods and enhancers of iron absorption than those who did not. The group of children younger than 24 months old remains the most vulnerable group for anemia.