Vitamin A nutrition among East Timor refugee children

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Author : Marcelino Correia, V Swetha E Jeganathan, PgDip, Nitin Verma
Keyword : vitamin A deficiency, East Timor, children, refugee, nutrition
DOI : 10.6133/apjcn.102017.04
Issue : Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2018;27(4):893-897
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Abstract

Background and Objectives: Children age 6 to 72 months, living in refugee camps are at increased risk of de- veloping vitamin A deficiency (VAD), resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. Due to poverty, often this population group has limited access to foods containing vitamin A from animal-based food sources and do not commonly consume available foods containing beta-carotene. To date, there is a paucity of data on vitamin A in- take in young refugee children. To determine vitamin A intake in children ages 6 to 72 months at refugee camps in East Timor. Methods and Study Design: A cross sectional study was carried out among children ages 6 to 72 months at refugee camps near Dili, East Timor. A detailed vitamin A intake questionnaire was ascertained from the primary caretaker, and the criteria and indicator cut off values suggested by World Health Organization (WHO) were used to classify the populations’ vitamin A risk. Results: Although animal sources of vitamin A were limited due to costs, all 89 children commonly consumed fruit containing vitamin A sources more than 3 times a week. Most children (69.7%) had been breast fed regularly, while 30.3% combined with bottle milk. 80.9% of children received vitamin A supplementation. Conclusion: Children in East Timor refugee camps have adequate vitamin A intake.

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