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A survey on vitamin A deficiency in children of the Hararge regionin Ethiopia was done following a eport of eye problems by CARE International. Results showed that of 240 children surveyed, 69%, 16%, 2%, 15% and 14% of suffers from night blindness, Bitot's spots, corneal xerosis, corneal ulceration and corneal scars, respectively. Blood analysis of 76 affected children and 9 others showed that serum retinol was

Body weight, body height and impedance at 1 kHz and at 100 kHz were measured in the fasting state in groups of healthy adult males and females from Ethiopia, China, Italy and The Netherlands. Total body water (TBW) and extracellular water (ECW) were determined by deuterium oxide and bromide dilution respectively. TBW/height and ECW/height were calculated as a measure of body build. The relation between TBW and ECW as measured by dilution technique and impedance index (height2/impedance) at 100 kHz and 1 kHz respectively was not different between the four populations. When a prediction formula for TBW and ECW from impedance index, developed in another (Dutch) population was applied to the four country groups, TBW was slightly overestimated, varying from 0.1 ± 1.8kg in the Italian group to 0.6 ± 1.8kg in the Dutch group. Also ECW was slightly but significantly overestimated, varying from 0.3 ± 0.9kg in the Dutch group to 1.1 ± 0.9kg in the Italian group. The bias for TBW was correlated with TBW/height in all country groups (correlation coefficients ranging from 0.33 to 0.56, all p<0.05) and the bias for ECW was correlated with ECW/height in all country groups (correlation coefficients ranging from 0.52 to 0.63, all p<0.05) except in the Ethiopians (r=0.23, p<0.1). Moreover, the bias for TBW and ECW was, in two of the four country groups, correlated with body water distribution (ECW/TBW). When the differences between measur 1000 ed and predicted TBW and ECW were corrected for differences in TBW/height and ECW/height and for differences in body water distribution, the bias significantly decreased and was not different from zero any more. It is concluded that multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance is an appropriate technique to predict body water compartments in populations. Difference between (ethnic) groups can be partly attributed to differences in body build.

Total body water (TBW) and extracellular water (ECW) were measured by deuterium oxide dilution and bromide dilution, respectively, in a group of 24 male and 20 female healthy Ethiopians, living in the capital Addis Ababa. Body weight, body height, skinfolds and total body impedance at 1 and at 100 kHz were also measured. TBW and ECW were predicted from impedance values at 1 and 100 kHz, respectively, using prediction equations developed in a Dutch adult population. ECW was overestimated by 1.3 +/- 1.0 kg (p < 0.05) and 0.6 +/- 0.8 kg (p < 0.05) in males and females, respectively. TBW was accurately predicted in males (0.1 +/- 1.9 kg, n.s.), but overestimated in females (1.0 +/- 1.3 p < 0.05). TBW/height and ECW/height were substantially lower in the Ethiopians compared to values recently published in Dutch and Italian adult subjects, indicating a different, more slender body build of the Ethiopians. After correcting for these differences in body build and for the slight differences in body water distribution (ECW/TBW), the differences between measured and predicted TBW and ECW decreased and were no longer significant. The results indicate that the validity of predicted body water from impedance depends on the body build of the subjects, which should be taken into account to avoid systematic errors when applying prediction formulas from a reference population to another population under study.

A total of 14,740 schoolchildren in seven provinces of Shoa Administrative Region in Central Ethiopia were surveyed for the prevalence of goitre, xerophthalmia and anaemia. Haemoglobin and packed cell volume were assessed in 966 children in one province while an in-depth study was conducted on 344 children in the same province and two others. Goitre, xerophthalmia (Bitot's spots) and clinical anaemia were observed in 34.2, 0.91 and 18.6% respectively of the children. Most biochemical variables were within the normal range while those of haemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular Hb concentration (MCHC) and urinary I excretion were lower, and mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular Hb (MCH), and immunoglobulins G and M were higher. Hb was strongly correlated with retinol, ferritin, MCHC, MCH, packed cell volume and erythrocyte count while retinol formed a triad with transthyretin (TTR) and retinol-binding protein (RBP) which were all correlated with one another. Total and free thyroxin and total and free triiodothyronine were positively correlated as were the concentrations of the total and free hormones. Thyrotropin (TSH) was negatively correlated with total and free thyroxin and positively correlated with free triiodothyronine. Thyroxin and triiodothyronine in both free and combined forms were all correlated with thyroxin-binding globulin which in turn was negatively correlated with the triad retinol, RBP and TTR. The triad was also negatively correlated with C-reactive protein. Urinary I excretion was positively associated with total thyroxin and negatively associated with TSH. The anaemia found was not nutritional in origin but due to the effect of infestation with intestinal parasites and malaria.

A stratified goitre survey was conducted on 35,635 schoolchildren and 19,158 household members in all Regions of Ethiopia except Eritrea and Tigrai. The gross goitre prevalence (mean of male and female values) among schoolchildren and household members was 30.6 and 18.7% respectively, while that of visible goitre was 1.6 and 3.2% respectively. Prevalence was higher in females (27.3% in household members and 36.1% in schoolchildren) than in males (10.1% in household members and 25.1% in schoolchildren) and increased with age more in females than in males. The prevalence rates at higher altitudes were higher than those at lower altitudes in both schoolchildren and household members. Using an epidemiological model the consequences of iodine deficiency, including cretinism and maternal wastage, have been estimated.

A total of 721 children in the six schools for the blind in Ethiopia were studied. In 1988-1989 histories were taken to ascertain the predisposing factors and ophthalmological examinations and records were used to determine the causes of blindness. Ninety-five per cent of those examined had bilateral blindness, 12% did not know how they had become blind and, of those who provided information on how they became blind, 21% knew that they were born blind, 30% implicated measles as being responsible, and 13% implicated 'mitch' which is an Amharic term used to describe a very wide range of nonspecific and vague illnesses of which measles probably constitutes a significant proportion. Seventy per cent of the blindness was due to either corneal opacity or phthisis bulbi. Of those with non-congenital bilateral corneal opacity or phthisis bulbi, 40% were preceded by measles and 17% by mitch. A study of 66 adults in the handicraft and skill-training centres attached to the blind schools indicated that the principal predisposing factors of blindness were mitch (30%), smallpox (15%), cataract (12%), and traditional eye medicine (11%). Seventy percent had corneal scars of phthisis bulbi and 14% cataract.

A total of 6636 children, aged from 6 months to 6 years and selected throughout the country using a multi-staged stratified sample design, were examined for signs of xerophthalmia. The concentrations of retinol and of beta-carotene were measured in 742 children, including those with xerophthalmia and every twentieth of the remaining children. Anthropometric measurements were made on 2909 of the children. Bitot's spots were seen in 1.0% of all children, with a higher prevalence in the pastoral (1.6%) and cropping (1.1%) agro-ecological zones than in the zones characterized by cash crops (0.4%) and 'ensete' (false banana, Ensete ventricosum) (0.0%). One case of corneal xerosis and 2 cases of corneal scar were also seen. Serum retinol levels were in the 'deficient' range (less than 0.35 mumol l-1) in 16% and 'low' (0.35-0.69 mumol l-1) in 44% of children. Serum retinol and clinical signs did not show any correlation with occupation and education of head of household, household size or anthropometric measurements. More stunting than wasting was observed, with peak prevalence of these signs of malnutrition being observed in the second year of life.