Disadvantaged black and coloured infants in two urban communities in the Western Cape, South Africa differ in micronutrient status

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the nutritional and health status of urban infants in two disadvantaged communities in the Western Cape, South Africa with special reference to micronutrient status. The results of this study will serve to plan an intervention study in these communities in the same age group. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Two disadvantaged urban black and 'coloured' communities in the Western Cape, South Africa. Subjects: Sixty infants aged 6 -12 months from each community. Outcome measures: Dietary intake, anthropometric measurements, micronutrient status and psychomotor development. Results: Stunting and underweight were more prevalent in coloured infants (18% and 7%, respectively) than in black infants (8% and 2%, respectively). Anaemia (haemoglobin ðHbÞ , 11 g dl 21 ) was prevalent in 64% of coloured and 83% of black infants. Iron-deficiency anaemia (Hb , 11 g dl 21 and ferritin , 10 ng ml 21 ) was found in 32% of coloured infants and in 46% of black infants. Zinc deficiency was prevalent in 35% and 33% of the coloured and black infants, respectively. Marginal vitamin A deficiency (serum retinol , 20 mg dl 21 ) was observed in 23% of black infants compared with 2% of coloured infants. Of black infants, 43% and of coloured infants 6% were deficient in two or more micronutrients. Six per cent of coloured infants had C-reactive protein concentrations above 5 mg l 21 compared with 38% of the black infants. The dietary intake of micronutrients was in general lower in black infants than in coloured infants. The overall psychomotor development, assessed by the Denver Developmental Screening Test, was different between the two groups. The coloured infants scored higher in three out of the four categories as well as in their overall score. Conclusions: This study shows that information on stunting and wasting only in urban disadvantaged infants is not sufficient to make recommendations about specific community intervention programmes. Information on the micronutrient status, independent of wasting and stunting, is necessary to design nutrition programmes for different communities. The study also showed a substantially higher prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies among black infants.

Complementary foods consumed by 6 – 12-month-old rural infants in South Africa are inadequate in micronutrients

“…Inadequate intake of infant cereals has been reported in other studies in South Africa 14,15 . The cost of these products probably prohibits an adequate intake.…”

“…80%) consumed fortified infant cereals. Dietary information showed that these fortified products were used in diluted form 14 . The intake of inadequate quantities of infant cereals was also shown for rural South African infants, and it was argued that the high cost of these products prohibited an adequate intake 15 .…”

Childhood cancer survival rates in two South African units

“…Many studies document inadequate nutrition in black and coloured (mixed ancestry) children in SA, which is reflected in high rates of stunting and underweight. [13] Oelofse et al [13] also found a substantially higher prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies among disadvantaged black and coloured infants in urban communities in the Western Cape than in other groups. All the above factors may result in a worse outcome for black children.…”

Isolated and combined prevalence of anemia, vitamin A deficiency and zinc deficiency in preschool children 12-72 months for the government of Paraíba

“…Ao investigarem a coexistência de carências nutricionais em crianças na Indonésia, pesquisadores constataram que as crianças com deficiência de vitamina A apresentaram 2,9 vezes mais chance de desenvolver deficiência de zinco e um risco 2,5 maior de anemia, quando comparadas às crianças sem deficiência vitamínica 15 . Na África do Sul, a coexistência das deficiências de zinco e de ferro foi maior do que a coexistência da deficiência de vitamina A com a deficiência de zinco 36 . Outro estudo, com crianças afro-americanas e hispânicas da cidade de Atlanta, Estados Unidos, apontou associação entre deficiência de zinco e anemia ao indicar o maior risco de deficiência de zinco entre as crianças anêmicas 3 .…”