Prevalence of vitamin a, zinc, iodine deficiency and anaemia among 2-10 year- old Ghanaian children

Children are the most nutritionally vulnerable group of society as children are dependants and they are also at a critical stage of the growing process. They need adequate vitamin A, zinc, iron and iodine for their development and school performance. Most often iron deficiency causes anaemia with resultant fatigue and low work capacity. Studies comprehensively assessed dietary intakes of nutrients among Ghanaian children but there is not enough data available on the biochemical assessment of the micronutrient status of Ghanaian children. Therefore, the study provided the first primary data on the prevalence of vitamin A, zinc, iron, iodine deficiency and anaemia among underprivileged 2 – 10 years Ghanaian children in Okwenya village of the Manya-Krobo District. The study was a cross-sectional study carried out among 101 children. Fasting blood sample was collected from each child and used to determine vitamin A, serum zinc and hemoglobin concentration. Urine sample was collected from each of the participants early in the morning and that was used to determine the participant’s urinary iodine concentration. Dietary intake data were collected with the 24-hour recalls method on two non consecutive days. Anthropometric data (weight and height measurements) and demographic data were collected on the participants. The prevalence of urinary iodine deficiency and anaemia among the children of Okwenya village was of public health concern. There was high prevalence of low urinary iodine, 93.8% (<100 μg/dl) and anaemia, 72.5% (hemoglobin <11.5g/dl) among the participants. The prevalence of vitamin A deficiency (serum retinol<20μg/dl), low serum zinc concentration <70μg/dl and low hair zinc concentration <70μg/g among the children was 35.6%, 40.5% and 29.9% respectively. There was 22.8% of the participants stunted (short for their age) in the study. This study the first nutritional assessment study in the community showed a high prevalence of low urinary iodine concentration and anemia among the children that were of public health interest. The findings also showed the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency and stunting among the children. From the findings there is the need for a nutritional intervention programme to improve the iodine, anaemia, vitamin A and general nutritional status of the children of Okwenya village

Prevalence of hypertension and associated factors in a rural community in Bayelsa State

Background: Hypertension is considered among the most common non-communicable diseases globally with significant morbidity and mortality. Closely related to it is pre-hypertension, a category between hypertension and normotension which is believed to be a forerunner to hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Hypertension has been on the increase in recent times, even in rural communities which were previously less affected. The study was carried during the world health day as a screening exercise to determine the prevalence of hypertension and its associated factors in a rural community.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Ogboloma village, a small rural community in Bayelsa State, Ngeria Consecutive sampling of all eligible participants who presented for the screening exercise was done. Socio-demographic data, clinical history, anthropometry and blood pressure were taken. Data was stored and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0.Results: One hundred and thirty-one participants completed the study. There were 49(37.4%) males. The prevalence of hypertension was 50.4% while pre-hypertension was found in another 41.2%. Factors associated with hypertension on univariate analysis were age (p <0.001) body mass index (p=0.038) waist hip ratio (p=0.008) hyperglycemia (p=0.030) and smoking (p=0.009) However, only age (p=0.004) and smoking (p=0.037) remained significant on multivariate analysis.Conclusions: Hypertension and Pre-hypertension were highly prevalent in this rural community. Age and smoking were significant predictors of hypertension. Hypertension screening and control programmes should therefore target rural communities and smokers

Anaemia, vitamin-A deficiency, anthropometric nutritional status and associated factors among young school children in Kodzobi, Ghana, a peri-urban community

Anaemia, vitamin-A deficiency and under nutrition are prevalent among children at levels of public health significance in developing countries of which Ghana is no exception. The objective of this study was to assess the anaemia, low vitamin-A level and anthropometric nutritional status of 162 randomly selected young Ghanaian school children 4 – 8 years in Kodzobi, a peri-urban community and establish associated factors. Questionnaires were used to collect background data from parents of study participants. Vitamin-A and haemoglobin concentrations were determined using High Performance Liquid Chromatography and Haemocue hemoglobinometer, respectively. Malaria parasitaemia was examined by the Giemsa staining technique. Weight and height measurements were taken according to WHO’s standard procedures to assess participants’ nutritional status. The mean haemoglobin and serum retinol concentrations were 11.6 ± 1.1 g/dl and 22.8 ± 6.5 μg/dl, respectively. Prevalence of anaemia and vitamin-A deficiency among study participants were 38.3 % and 24.0 %, respectively. The prevalence of underweight, stunting, thinness and overweight were 9.3 %, 9.9 %, 4.3 % and 3.7 %, respectively. Haemoglobin correlated positively and significantly with weight, weight-for-age and body mass index-for-age z scores. Child’s sex, vitamin-A status and parental monthly income associated with anaemia status. Females had a higher risk of being anaemic compared to males (OR = 2.519; 95 % CI: 0.965 - 6.580; p = 0.049). Participants with normal vitamin-A concentration were at lower risk of being anaemic (OR = 0.302; 95 % CI: 0.109 - 0.840; p = 0.022) than those with low vitamin-A concentration. Anaemia and young child age negatively associated with vitamin-A status, at p = 0.039 and p = 0.037, respectively. Anaemia and vitamin-A deficiency are issues of public health importance among school-aged children in Ghana. There is, therefore, the need to invest in actions that prevent their occurrence and management especially among children of school going age.Keywords: Anaemia, vitamin-A deficiency, nutritional status, retinol, haemoglobin, school children, peri-urba

Red palm oil bean-stew improved serum vitamin A and haemoglobin concentrations and anthropometric indicators of school children with low vitamin A concentrations in a malaria-endemic setting

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD), anaemia, and parasitic infections are among the major nutritional and health problems confronting Ghanaian school children. This study assessed the impact of red palm oil bean-stew consumption on serum retinol and haemoglobin concentrations of Ghanaian school children in a malaria-endemic setting. The design was a pre-post nutrition intervention study. It involved 142 6-12 year-old children. Participants were selected by simple random sampling. After baseline sample and data collection, the participants consumed red palm oil bean-stew with gari (made from fermented, grated cassava flour), three times a week for a period of six months. Final biological samples and data were collected as at baseline. Dietary data were collected using Food Frequency Questionnaires and the 24-hour recall procedure. Serum retinol was measured with High Performance Liquid Chromatography and haemoglobin by Haemocue Haemoglobinometer. Malaria parasitaemia and hookworms were examined by microscopy from blood films and stool samples using the Giemsastaining and Kato-Katz techniques, respectively. Data were analysed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences version-23. Mean values for outcome variables were compared between baseline and final using paired t-tests. Results indicated that majority of the participants (82.4%) consumed cereals. Many of them also (98.6%) never consumed dairy or dairy products. Mean serum retinol concentration was 12.1 ± 6.6μg/dl during baseline and 16.2 ± 6.4μg/dl at final, the difference significant at p&lt;0.05. The mean haemoglobin concentration at baseline was 119.4 ± 10.6 g/l and 126.0 ± 9.34g/l at final, with a significant difference at p&lt;0.05. The prevalence of VAD defined as serum retinol concentration &lt;20μg/dl was 76.2% at the end of the study being significantly different from that at baseline (93.6%), p&lt;0.05. Prevalence of anaemia was 30.3% and 11.3% at baseline and final, respectively with a significant difference at p&lt;0.05. Malaria parasitaemia was prevalent: 67.6 % at baseline and 62.7% at the end of the study. Only one participant (0.01%) was found with hookworm infestation. For participants with VAD, 48.3% and 36.2% improved to moderate and normal vitamin A status, respectively at the end of the study. The prevalence of anaemia among VAD participants was 36.2 % at baseline and 12.1 % at final. In conclusion, red palm oil beanstew consumption increased the haemoglobin concentration and minimized prevalence of anaemia among the study participants. It also increased serum retinol concentrations and minimized the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency (especially severe vitamin A deficiency) among the study participants.Keywords: Red palm oil, Vitamin A, Haemoglobin, School children, Malaria, Parasitaemi

Anemia prevalence and associated factors among school age children in Accra and Kumasi metropolis in Ghana

Anemia remains a serious public health concern, globally, affecting learning ability and physical development of children. Anemic children are at a&nbsp; higher risk of diminished economic productivity and low earning capacity in adulthood due to impaired school performance and reduced work&nbsp; capacity. Anemia contributes to about a quarter of Africa’s nutrition-related Disability Adjusted Life Years. The objective of this study was to&nbsp; determine the prevalence of anemia and its associated risk factors among school-aged children (SAC) between ages 9 and 15 years in urban Ghana.&nbsp; The analysis included a randomly selected subsample of 1,634 children from a larger study on nutrition of SAC enrolled between 2009 and 2012 in&nbsp; private and public basic schools in the Accra and Kumasi Metropolis in Ghana. Socio-demographic and household characteristics were collected with&nbsp; questionnaires. Weight and height were taken to the nearest 0.1kg and 0.1cm, respectively. Dietary information was collected using a food&nbsp; frequency questionnaire. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistic version 23. The relationship between hemoglobin levels and socio-&nbsp; demographic variables, and predictors of hemoglobin levels were determined using Chi-square and binary logistic regression. The mean&nbsp; hemoglobin concentration of the study participants was 12.9±1.3 g/dL. In Kumasi, SAC had higher mean hemoglobin concentration (13.1±1.2 g/dL)&nbsp; compared to those from Accra (12.6±1.3 g/dL; p=0.001). Mean hemoglobin concentration was significantly higher among males than females&nbsp; (13.0±1.4 g/dL vs 12.8±1.2 g/dL; p=0.002). Prevalence of anemia was 20.4%; mild anemia was most common (13.6% of total sample). Anemia cases&nbsp; were higher in public schools (24.6%) compared to private (18.2%). Two-thirds of anemia cases (64.0%) were from schools in Accra. Males had significantly higher prevalence of anemia (26.5%) than females (15.9%; p &lt;0.05). In the adjusted logistic regression model, only city of residence (OR+1.65, 95% CI: 1.44–1.83), thinness (OR=2.60, 95% CI: 1.11-5.75), stunting (OR=1.85, 95% CI: 1.99-3.10) and overweight (OR=0.60, 95% CI: 0.36-0.94) were significantly associated with anemia. In this study, anemia was significantly associated with location and nutritional status

Anemia prevalence and associated factors among schoolage children in Accra and Kumasi Metropolis in Ghana

Anemia remains a serious public health concern, globally, affecting learning ability and physical development of children. Anemic children are at a higher risk of diminished economic productivity and low earning capacity in adulthood due to impaired school performance and reduced work capacity. Anemia contributes to about a quarter of Africa’s nutrition-related Disability Adjusted Life Years. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of anemia and its associated risk factors among school-aged children (SAC) between ages 9 and 15 years in urban Ghana. The analysis included a randomly selected subsample of 1,634 children from a larger study on nutrition of SAC enrolled between 2009 and 2012 in private and public basic schools in the Accra and Kumasi Metropolis in Ghana. Socio-demographic and household characteristics were collected with questionnaires. Weight and height were taken to the nearest 0.1kg and 0.1cm, respectively. Dietary information was collected using a food frequency questionnaire. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistic version 23. The relationship between hemoglobin levels and socio-demographic variables, and predictors of hemoglobin levels were determined using Chi-square and binary logistic regression. The mean hemoglobin concentration of the study participants was 12.9±1.3 g/dL. In Kumasi, SAC had higher mean hemoglobin concentration (13.1±1.2 g/dL) compared to those from Accra (12.6±1.3 g/dL; p=0.001). Mean hemoglobin concentration was significantly higher among males than females (13.0±1.4 g/dL vs 12.8±1.2 g/dL; p=0.002). Prevalence of anemia was 20.4%; mild anemia was most common (13.6% of total sample). Anemia cases were higher in public schools (24.6%) compared to private (18.2%). Two-thirds of anemia cases (64.0%) were from schools in Accra. Males had significantly higher prevalence of anemia (26.5%) than females (15.9%; p &lt;0.05). In the adjusted logistic regression model, only city of residence (OR+1.65, 95% CI: 1.44–1.83), thinness (OR=2.60, 95% CI: 1.11-5.75), stunting (OR=1.85, 95% CI: 1.99-3.10) and overweight (OR=0.60, 95% CI: 0.36-0.94) were significantly associated with anemia. In this study, anemia was significantly associated with location and nutritional status

Adolescent health in rural Ghana: A cross-sectional study on the co-occurrence of infectious diseases, malnutrition and cardio-metabolic risk factors.

In sub-Saharan Africa, infectious diseases and malnutrition constitute the main health problems in children, while adolescents and adults are increasingly facing cardio-metabolic conditions. Among adolescents as the largest population group in this region, we investigated the co-occurrence of infectious diseases, malnutrition and cardio-metabolic risk factors (CRFs), and evaluated demographic, socio-economic and medical risk factors for these entities. In a cross-sectional study among 188 adolescents in rural Ghana, malarial infection, common infectious diseases and Body Mass Index were assessed. We measured ferritin, C-reactive protein, retinol, fasting glucose and blood pressure. Socio-demographic data were documented. We analyzed the proportions (95% confidence interval, CI) and the co-occurrence of infectious diseases (malaria, other common diseases), malnutrition (underweight, stunting, iron deficiency, vitamin A deficiency [VAD]), and CRFs (overweight, obesity, impaired fasting glucose, hypertension). In logistic regression, odds ratios (OR) and 95% CIs were calculated for the associations with socio-demographic factors. In this Ghanaian population (age range, 14.4-15.5 years; males, 50%), the proportions were for infectious diseases 45% (95% CI: 38-52%), for malnutrition 50% (43-57%) and for CRFs 16% (11-21%). Infectious diseases and malnutrition frequently co-existed (28%; 21-34%). Specifically, VAD increased the odds of non-malarial infectious diseases 3-fold (95% CI: 1.03, 10.19). Overlap of CRFs with infectious diseases (6%; 2-9%) or with malnutrition (7%; 3-11%) was also present. Male gender and low socio-economic status increased the odds of infectious diseases and malnutrition, respectively. Malarial infection, chronic malnutrition and VAD remain the predominant health problems among these Ghanaian adolescents. Investigating the relationships with evolving CRFs is warranted

Prevalence Of Vitamin A, Zinc, Iodine Deficiency And Anaemia Among 2-10 Year- Old Ghanaian Children

Children are the most nutritionally vulnerable group of society as children are dependants and they are also at a critical stage of the growing process. They need adequate vitamin A, zinc, iron and iodine for their development and school performance. Most often iron deficiency causes anaemia with resultant fatigue and low work capacity. Studies comprehensively assessed dietary intakes of nutrients among Ghanaian children but there is not enough data available on the biochemical assessment of the micronutrient status of Ghanaian children. Therefore, the study provided the first primary data on the prevalence of vitamin A, zinc, iron, iodine deficiency and anaemia among underprivileged 2 – 10 years Ghanaian children in Okwenya village of the Manya-Krobo District. The study was a cross-sectional study carried out among 101 children. Fasting blood sample was collected from each child and used to determine vitamin A, serum zinc and hemoglobin concentration. Urine sample was collected from each of the participants early in the morning and that was used to determine the participant&apos;s urinary iodine concentration. Dietary intake data were collected with the 24-hour recalls method on two non consecutive days. Anthropometric data (weight and height measurements) and demographic data were collected on the participants. The prevalence of urinary iodine deficiency and anaemia among the children of Okwenya village was of public health concern. There was high prevalence of low urinary iodine, 93.8% (<100 μg/dl) and anaemia, 72.5% (hemoglobin <11.5g/dl) among the participants. The prevalence of vitamin A deficiency (serum retinol<20μg/dl), low serum zinc concentration <70μg/dl and low hair zinc concentration <70μg/g among the children was 35.6%, 40.5% and 29.9% respectively. There was 22.8% of the participants stunted (short for their age) in the study. This study the first nutritional assessment study in the community showed a high prevalence of low urinary iodine concentration and anemia among the children that were of public health interest. The findings also showed the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency and stunting among the children. From the findings there is the need for a nutritional intervention programme to improve the iodine, anaemia, vitamin A and general nutritional status of the children of Okwenya village

Association between components of metabolic syndrome with chronic kidney disease in Benin City, Nigeria

Background: The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a constellation of risk factors of metabolic origin that promote the development of cardiovascular disease. More recently, an association with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is being reported. However, most of these studies are non-indigenous. The aim of the study was to determine the association between components of MetS and CKD in a Nigerian population.Methods: Patients with MetS were recruited from a tertiary hospital in Benin City, Nigeria. Blood pressures and body mass indices were measured. Plasma glucose, serum lipids, urea and creatinine and spot urine albumin: creatinine ratio were analyzed. CKD was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate &lt;60mls/min+ urinary ACR &gt;30mg/g creatinine.Results: Obesity, waist/hip ratio, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were associated with CKD in univariate analysis. Body mass index and diastolic blood pressure were independent predictors of CKD. There was a relationship between the number of MetS traits and CKD.Conclusions: CKD in patients with MetS may therefore result from a synergistic effect of components of the syndrome. Diastolic blood pressure and obesity may predict CKD in MetS patients. Early detection and treatment of obesity and hypertension may thus be a strategy to target the increasing prevalence of renal disease in MetS

Association between components of metabolic syndrome with chronic kidney disease in Benin City, Nigeria

Background: The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a constellation of risk factors of metabolic origin that promote the development of cardiovascular disease. More recently, an association with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is being reported. However, most of these studies are non-indigenous. The aim of the study was to determine the association between components of MetS and CKD in a Nigerian population.Methods: Patients with MetS were recruited from a tertiary hospital in Benin City, Nigeria. Blood pressures and body mass indices were measured. Plasma glucose, serum lipids, urea and creatinine and spot urine albumin: creatinine ratio were analyzed. CKD was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate &lt;60mls/min+ urinary ACR &gt;30mg/g creatinine.Results: Obesity, waist/hip ratio, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were associated with CKD in univariate analysis. Body mass index and diastolic blood pressure were independent predictors of CKD. There was a relationship between the number of MetS traits and CKD.Conclusions: CKD in patients with MetS may therefore result from a synergistic effect of components of the syndrome. Diastolic blood pressure and obesity may predict CKD in MetS patients. Early detection and treatment of obesity and hypertension may thus be a strategy to target the increasing prevalence of renal disease in MetS