The objective of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the relationship between micronutrient status and obesity, lipids, insulin resistance and chronic inflammation in children. Weight, height, waist circumference and body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)) were determined in 197 school-aged children. Lipids, glucose, insulin, C-reactive protein (CRP), zinc, iron and vitamins A, C and E were analyzed in blood. Vitamin C and vitamin E:lipids were negatively associated with Body Mass Index (BMI), waist-to-height ratio (WHR) and body and abdominal fat (p < 0.05). Vitamin A was positively associated with BMI, BMI-for-age, WHR and abdominal fat (p < 0.05). Iron and vitamin E:lipids were negatively associated with insulin (p < 0.05). Vitamins A, C and E and iron were negatively associated with CRP (p < 0.05). Interaction analysis showed that children who were overweight and obese who also had low concentrations of vitamin A had higher CRP and lower triglycerides (p < 0.1), children with low vitamin E had significantly lower glucose and triglycerides (p < 0.1) and higher low-density lipoprotein (LDL) concentrations (p < 0.05), and children with low zinc concentrations had higher insulin resistance compared with children with adequate weight (p < 0.05). In conclusion, low vitamin C concentration and vitamin E:lipids were associated with obesity. Furthermore, low concentrations of zinc, vitamins A and E in children who were overweight and obese were associated with lipids, inflammation and insulin resistance.

Biofortification of crops that provide major food staples to large, poor rural populations offers an appealing strategy for diminishing public health

Background: In developing countries, incomplete resolution of anemia with iron supplementation is often attributed to poor compliance or inadequate duration of supplementation, but it could result from deficiencies of other micronutrients. Objective: Our objective was to assess children's hematologic response to supervised, long-term iron supplementation and the relation of this response to other micronutrient deficiencies, anthropometry, morbidity, and usual dietary intake. Design: Rural Mexican children aged 18–36 mo (n = 219) were supplemented for 12 mo with either 20 mg Fe, 20 mg Zn, both iron and zinc, or placebo. Children were categorized as iron-unsupplemented (IUS; n = 109) or iron supplemented (IS; n = 108). Hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean cell hemoglobin, plasma concentrations of micronutrients that can affect hematopoiesis, anthropometry, and diet were assessed at 0, 6, and 12 mo; morbidity was assessed biweekly. Results: At baseline, 70% of children had low hemoglobin (≤115 g/L), 60% had low hematocrit, 48% were ferritin deficient, 10% had deficient and 33% had low plasma vitamin B-12 concentrations, 29% had deficient vitamin A concentrations, and 70% had deficient vitamin E concentrations. Iron supplementation increased ferritin from 11 ± 14 μg/L at baseline to 31 ± 18 μg/L after 6 mo (P < 0.001) and 41 ± 17 μg/L after 12 mo. However, anemia persisted in 30% and 31% of supplemented children at 6 and 12 mo, respectively, and was not significantly different between the IUS and IS groups at 12 mo. Initial plasma vitamin B-12, height-for-age, and dietary quality predicted the hematopoietic response to iron. Conclusion: Lack of hemoglobin response to iron was associated with indicators of chronic undernutrition and multiple micronutrient deficiencies.

Background: The prevalence of obesity among Mexican women is high and it could be related to micronutrient status. We evaluated in a cross-sectional study the associations of zinc and vitamins A, C and E concentrations with BMI, central adiposity, body fat and leptin concentration.Methods: Women aged 37 ± 7.5 years (n = 580) from 6 rural communities in Mexico were evaluated. Anthropometric measurements included weight, height, waist and hip circumference. A fasting blood sample was taken for the analysis of glucose, lipid profile, leptin, zinc, and vitamins A, C and E. Body composition was determined by DEXA (Hologic Mod Explorer).Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 36% (BMI > 25 Kg/m²) and 44% (BMI > 30 Kg/m²), respectively. Prevalence of zinc and vitamins C and E deficiencies were similar in obese, overweight and normal weight women. No vitamin A deficiency was found. Vitamin C was negatively associated with BMI, waist-to-height ratio, and leptin concentrations (p < 0.05).Vitamin A was positively associated with leptin (p < 0.05). When stratifying by BMI, % body fat and waist circumference, high leptin concentrations were associated with lower zinc and lower vitamin C concentrations in women with obesity (p < 0.05) and higher vitamin A concentrations in women without obesity (p < 0.01). Vitamin E status was not associated with any markers of obesity.Conclusion: Zinc and vitamins A and C are associated with obesity, adiposity and leptin concentration in women from rural Mexico, and may play an important role in fat deposition. The causality of these associations needs to be confirmed.