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Background/Objectives: Vitamin D deficiency in children remains a global concern. Although literature exists on the vitamin D status and its risk factors among children in the Middle East, findings have yielded mixed results, and large, representative community studies are lacking. Subjects/Methods: In a nationally representative survey of 1077 Jordanian children of preschool age (12-59 months) in Spring 2010, we measured 25(OH)D.sub.3 concentrations by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and calculated prevalence ratios for deficiency associated with various factors. Results: Results showed 19.8% (95% confidence interval (CI): 16.4-23.3%) deficiency ( Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency pose significant public health problems in Jordanian children with female children disproportionately affected. Strong associations between vitamin D status in children and urban residency and maternal vitamin D status suggest that the behaviors related to sun exposure in urban mothers likely also affect the sun exposure and thus vitamin D status of their children., Author(s): E K Nichols [sup.1] , I M D Khatib [sup.2] , N J Aburto [sup.3] , M K Serdula [sup.3] , K S Scanlon [sup.3] , J P Wirth [...]

Background/Objectives:To combat iron and other micronutrient deficiencies, the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic launched a regional Infant and Young Child Nutrition (IYCN) program in 2009, which included promotion of home fortification with micronutrient powder (MNP) containing iron (12.5 mg elemental iron), vitamin A (300 μg) and other micronutrients. Every 2 months children aged 6-24 months were provided 30 sachets to be taken on a flexible schedule. The objective was to assess biochemical indicators of iron and vitamin A status among children aged 6-24 months at the baseline and follow-up surveys.Subjects/Methods:Cross-sectional representative cluster surveys were conducted in 2008 (n=571 children) and 2010 (n=541). Data collected included measurement of hemoglobin, serum ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), retinol-binding protein, C-reactive protein (CRP) and α1-glycoprotein acid (AGP).Results:Among all children, declines were observed in the prevalence of: anemia, 50.6% versus 43.8% (P=0.05); total iron deficiency (either low ferritin or high sTfR), 77.3% versus 63.7% (P<0.01); and iron deficiency anemia, 45.5% versus 33.4% (P<0.01). Among children without inflammation as measured by CRP and AGP, similar declines were observed, but only declines in total iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia reached statistical significance. Among all children and those without inflammation, the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency remained the same.Conclusions:One year after the introduction of home fortification with MNP, within a larger IYCN program, the prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia declined, but vitamin A deficiency remained unchanged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objectives: The purpose of this study was: (1) to compare body volume (BV) estimated from a 2-dimensional (2D) image analysis program (BV IMAGE ), and a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) equation (BV DXA-Smith-Ryan ) to an underwater weighing (UWW) criterion (BV UWW ); (2) to compare relative adiposity (%Fat) derived from a 3-compartment (3C) model using BV IMAGE (%Fat 3C-IMAGE ), and a 4-compartment (4C) model using BV DXA-Smith-Ryan (%Fat 4C-DXA-Smith-Ryan ) to a 4C criterion model using BV UWW (%Fat 4C-UWW )., Subject/methods: Forty-eight participants were included (60% male, 22.9 ± 5.0 years, 24.2 ± 2.6 kg/m 2 ). BV IMAGE was derived using a single digital image of each participant taken from the rear/posterior view. DXA-derived BV was calculated according to Smith-Ryan et al. Bioimpedance spectroscopy and DXA were used to measure total body water and bone mineral content, respectively, in the 3C and 4C models. A standardized mean effect size (ES) assessed the magnitude of differences between models with values of 0.2, 0.5, and 0.8 for small, moderate, and large differences, respectively. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation., Results: Near-perfect correlation (r = 0.998, p < 0.001) and no mean differences (p = 0.267) were observed between BV IMAGE (69.6 ± 11.5 L) and BV UWW (69.5 ± 11.4 L). No mean differences were observed between %Fat 4C-DXA-Smith-Ryan and the %Fat 4C-UWW criterion (p = 0.988). Small mean differences were observed between %Fat 3C-IMAGE and %Fat 4C-UWW (ES = 0.2, p < 0.001). %Fat 3C-IMAGE exhibited smaller SEE and TE, and tighter limits of agreement than %Fat 4C-DXA-Smith-Ryan ., Conclusions: The 2D image analysis program provided an accurate and non-invasive estimate of BV, and subsequently %Fat within a 3C model in generally healthy, young adults., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Objective: We wished to determine the contributing causes of goitre among pregnant women in rural Bangladesh to provide baseline data before instituting iodine supplementation., Design: All pregnant women in a subdistrict of Modhupur, Bangladesh were assessed for goitre size and were asked to give blood and urine samples for measurement of iodine status and thyroid hormones., Setting: Field study in 72 villages in rural Modhupur., Subjects: 356 women at all stages of gestation., Results: Total goitre prevalence was 99%, and 79% of the women had goitres of grade 2 or 3. Nevertheless, urinary iodine levels indicated only moderate iodine deficiency with 23% below 0.16 mumol/l and 62% below 0.39 mumol/l. Plasma thyroid-stimulating hormone was elevated in 19% of the women. Other dietary factors which could potentially contribute to goitre--vitamin A or selenium deficiency or intake of large amounts of thiocyanate-producing goitrogens--were found not to be a problem among these women. Multiple regression analysis of the causes of goitre, including measures of iodine status and anthropometric variables, could account for only 12% of the variability in goitre grade., Conclusions: High goitre prevalence can occur even in the absence of severe iodine deficiency. Therefore, iodine supplementation may not completely solve a community goitre problem.