Liver intake in 24-59-month-old Children from an Impoverished South African Community Provides Enough Vitamin A to Meet Requirements
Martha E. Van Stuijvenberg *
Nutritional Intervention Research Unit, Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
Jana Nel
Integrated Nutrition Programme, Department of Health, Northern Cape, South Africa.
Serina E. Schoeman
Nutritional Intervention Research Unit, Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
Lisanne M. du Plessis
Division of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa.
Muhammad A. Dhansay
Nutritional Intervention Research Unit, Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Objectives: To assess the contribution of liver to the vitamin A intake of 24-59-month-old children from an impoverished South African community where liver is frequently consumed. Vitamin A deficiency was previously shown to be absent in this community, but the prevalence of stunting was high.
Methods: Vitamin A intake from liver was assessed in 150 children using a single 24-hour recall and a quantified liver frequency questionnaire. In addition, information on vitamin A intake via the national fortification programme was obtained from the 24 h-recall, and information on vitamin A supplementation from the Road-to-Health Chart. Height, weight, and socio-economic data were also collected.
Results: Stunting, underweight and wasting were prevalent in 36.9%, 25.5% and 12.1% of children. Mean vitamin A intake from liver was 537 and 325 µg RE measured by the 24-hour recall and liver frequency questionnaire, respectively. Liver was consumed in 92.7% of households and by 84.7% of children; liver intake was inversely related to several indicators of socio-economic status (p< 0.05). The food fortification programme contributed 80 µg RE, and the vitamin A supplementation programme 122 µg RE to vitamin A intake.
Conclusions: The study showed that liver alone provided more than 100% of the Estimated Average Requirement of the pre-school children in this impoverished community. The results also challenge the notion generally held by international health bodies that vitamin A deficiency, poor anthropometric status, and poverty go together, and reinforces the fact that South Africa is a diverse country for which targeted rather than blanket interventions are required.