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- Title
Vitamin A supplements ameliorate the adverse effect of HIV-1, malaria, and diarrheal infections on child growth.
- Authors
Villamor, Eduardo; Mbise, Roger; Spiegelman, Donna; Hertzmark, Ellen; Fataki, Maulidi; Peterson, Karen E; Ndossi, Godwin; Fawzi, Wafaie W
- Abstract
Evidence from animal experiments and observational studies in humans suggests that vitamin A plays a fundamental role in physical growth. However, results from vitamin A supplementation trials in children are inconsistent; whereas some did not find an overall effect on growth, others found benefits only among specific groups, including children with low concentrations of serum retinol or short duration of breastfeeding. The apparent lack of an overall effect of vitamin A on growth could be attributed to context-specific distribution of conditions that affect both growth and the response to supplementation, eg, baseline vitamin A status, deficiency of other nutrients (fat, zinc), and the presence of infectious diseases. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, malaria, and diarrheal disease adversely affect growth and are associated with increased prevalence of vitamin A deficiency. We hypothesize that vitamin A supplementation could ameliorate the adverse effect of these infections on child growth.
- Publication
Pediatrics, 2002, Vol 109, Issue 1, pE6
- ISSN
1098-4275
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1542/peds.109.1.e6