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- Title
High Prevalence of Vitamin B12 Deficiency and No Folate Deficiency in Young Children in Nepal.
- Authors
Ng'eno, Bernadette N.; Perrine, Cria G.; Whitehead Jr., Ralph D.; Jefferds, Maria Elena D.; Subedi, Giri Raj; Mebrahtu, Saba; Dahal, Pradiumna
- Abstract
Many children in low- and middle-income countries may have inadequate intake of vitamin B12 and folate; data confirming these inadequacies are limited. We used biochemical, demographic, behavioral and anthropometric data to describe the folate and vitamin B12 concentrations among six- to 23-month-old Nepalese children. Vitamin B12 (serum B12 < 150 pmol/L) and folate deficiencies (red blood cell (RBC) folate < 226.5 nmol/L) were assessed. We used logistic regression to identify predictors of vitamin B12 deficiency. The vitamin B12 geometric mean was 186 pmol/L; 30.2% of children were deficient. The mean RBC folate concentration was 13,612 nmol/L; there was no deficiency. Factors associated with vitamin B12 deficiency included: (a) age six to 11 months (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.51; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.18, 1.92) or 12-17 months (aOR 1.38; 95% CI: 1.10,1.72) compared to 18-23 months; (b) being stunted (aOR 1.24; 95% CI: 1.03,1.50) compared to not being stunted; (c) and not eating animal-source foods (aOR 1.85; 95% CI: 1.42,2.41) compared to eating animal-source foods the previous day. There was a high prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency, but no folate deficiency. Improving early feeding practices, including the consumption of rich sources of vitamin B12, such as animal-source foods and fortified foods, may help decrease deficiency.
- Publication
Nutrients, 2017, Vol 9, Issue 1, p72
- ISSN
2072-6643
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/nu9010072