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Full-term, peri-urban South African infants under 6 months of age are at risk for early-onset anaemia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2007

LN Sibeko ,
MA Dhansay ,
KE Charlton ,
T Johns ,
ME Van Stuijvenberg  and
K Gray-Donald
LN Sibeko
Affiliation:
School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, 21 111 Lakeshore Road, Ste Anne de Bellevue, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H9X 3V9
MA Dhansay
Affiliation:
Nutrition Intervention Research Unit, Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa
KE Charlton
Affiliation:
Nutrition & Dietetics Division, School of Health and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cape Town and Chronic Diseases of Lifestyles Unit, Medical Research Council, Parow, South Africa
T Johns
Affiliation:
School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, 21 111 Lakeshore Road, Ste Anne de Bellevue, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H9X 3V9
ME Van Stuijvenberg
Affiliation:
Nutrition Intervention Research Unit, Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa
K Gray-Donald*
Affiliation:
School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, 21 111 Lakeshore Road, Ste Anne de Bellevue, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H9X 3V9
*
*Corresponding author: Email gray-donald@macdonald.mcgill.ca
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Abstract

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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) gdl−1, with 32% found to be anaemic (Hb < 12 g dl−1). Maternal serum retinol was 49.8 (SD 13.3) μg dl−1, with 4.5% VAD. Using breast milk, mean (SD) retinol concentration was found to be 70.6 (24.6) μg dl−1 and 15.7 (8.3) μg/g milk fat, with 13% below the cut-off level of <8μg/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) μg dl−1, with 10% being VAD. None of the infants was exclusively breast-fed, 22% were predominantly breast-fed and 787percnt; received complementary (mixed) breast-feeding. Thirty-two per cent of infants received weaning foods at an exceptionally young age (≤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.

Keywords

HaemoglobinAnaemiaSerum retinolBreast milk vitamin ALactating womenInfantsPeri-urban South Africa
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 7 , Issue 6 , September 2004 , pp. 813 - 820
Copyright
Copyright © CAB International 2004

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