Response to an iron fortification programme in relation to vitamin A status in 6-12-year-old school children

• Published in: International journal of food sciences and nutrition Vol. 48; no. 1; p. 41
• Main Authors: van Stuijvenberg, M E, Kruger, M, Badenhorst, C J, Mansvelt, E P, Laubscher, J A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-01-1997
• Subjects: Ascorbic Acid - administration & dosage; Child; Ferritins - metabolism; Food, Fortified; Hematocrit; Hemoglobins - metabolism; Humans; Iron - administration & dosage; Iron - blood; Nutritional Status; South Africa; Transferrin - metabolism; Vitamin A - blood; South Africa
• ISSN: 0963-7486
• DOI: 10.3109/09637489709006962

Plasma retinol and indices of iron status were measured in 148 school children (6-12 years) receiving a soup fortified with iron and vitamin C for a period of 15 weeks. The most significant change in serum iron (P = 0.0005) and transferrin saturation (P = 0.0002) was seen in subjects with plasma retinol > or = 40 micrograms/dl, while subjects with plasma retinol < 20 micrograms/dl showed no response. Serum ferritin improved most in the retinol categories < 40 micrograms/dl, suggesting that the absorption of iron was not impaired by marginal vitamin A status, but that it was rather the mobilisation of iron from stores that was affected. Changes in vitamin A status correlated positively and significantly with changes in serum iron (r = 0.37; P = 0.0001) transferrin saturation (r = 0.27; P = 0.004) and haemoglobin (r = 0.21; P = 0.03), but negatively with serum ferritin (r = -0.28; P = 0.003). The presence of marginal vitamin A deficiency in a community may limit the effectiveness of an iron intervention programme and vitamin A status should therefore also be considered when such programmes are planned.