Dietary intakes, vitamin A, and iron status of women of childbearing age and children 6-59 months of age from Akwa Ibom state in Nigeria

HarvestPlus, part of the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH), seeks to improve the nutrient density of staple food crops through conventional plant breeding.the nutrient density of staple food crops through conventional plant breeding. In 2011, three first-wave varieties of yellow cassava, containing 6-7 ppm of provitamin A, were released in Nigeria, while the full target (15 ppm of provitamin A) varieties are expected to be released in 2015/2016. Initially, the target levels of provitamin A in cassava were set by using rough estimates on cassava intake (grams/day); bioconversion, the retinol equivalency of provitamin A carotenoids, and losses of provitamin A during processing and cooking. However, accurate information on the above parameters were needed to confirm our initial assumptions. A study on bioconversion was performed as well as retention studies. In the present study we aimed to assess the cassava intake and the vitamin A deficiency among women and preschool children in Nigeria. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in rural to moderately-urbanized areas of Akwa-Ibom, a state identified as having high cassava consumption and high prevalence of vitamin A deficiency among children under the age of 5. The specific aims of the study were: 1) to quantify the cassava and nutrient intake, and 2) to assess the vitamin A and iron status among preschool children and women of childbearing age.

作为国际农业研究磋商小组（CGIAR）农业与营养健康研究计划（A4NH）的组成部分，HarvestPlus（哈维斯特普拉斯）旨在通过传统植物育种手段提升主粮作物的营养密度。2011年，三款首批黄色木薯品种在尼日利亚获批推广，其维生素原A（provitamin A）含量为6-7 ppm；而达到完整目标含量（15 ppm维生素原A）的品种预计将于2015/2016年推出。最初，木薯中维生素原A的目标含量是通过对木薯摄入量（克/天）、生物转化效率——即维生素原A类胡萝卜素的视黄醇当量——以及加工与烹饪过程中维生素原A的损耗率的粗略估算设定的。然而，要验证我们的初始假设，亟需获取上述参数的准确数据。为此，团队开展了维生素原A生物转化效率研究，并同步进行了营养素留存率研究。本研究旨在评估尼日利亚女性与学龄前儿童的木薯摄入量及维生素A缺乏状况。据此，我们在阿克瓦伊博姆州（Akwa-Ibom）的乡村至中度城市化区域开展了一项横断面调查，该州因木薯消费量高、5岁以下儿童维生素A缺乏症患病率高而被选为研究区域。本研究的具体目标为：1）量化木薯与各类营养素的摄入量；2）评估学龄前儿童与育龄女性的维生素A及铁营养状况。