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Medical AI Inquiry: You was designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.  Labels: OBJECTIVE, METHODS, METHODS, METHODS, RESULTS. Meshes: Adult, Child, Preschool, Cross-Sectional Studies, Diet, Dietary Supplements, Family Characteristics, Female, Food, Fortified, Growth Disorders, Humans, Liver, Male, Meat, Mental Recall, Nutrition Assessment, Nutritional Requirements, Poverty, Social Class, South Africa, Surveys and Questionnaires, Thinness, Vitamin A, Vitamin A Deficiency, Wasting Syndrome.
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Does liver intake in 24-59-month-old children from an impoverished South African community provide enough vitamin A to meet requirements? Context: 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 and vitamin A deficiency previously shown to be absent. Cross-sectional. Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Children aged 24-59 months (n 150). Vitamin A intake from liver was assessed using a single 24 h 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. Stunting, underweight and wasting were prevalent in 36·9 %, 25·5 % and 12·1 % of children. Mean daily vitamin A intake from liver was 537 and 325 μg retinol equivalents measured by the 24 h 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 socio-economic status (P < 0·05). The food fortification programme contributed 80 μg retinol equivalents and the vitamin A supplementation programme 122 μg retinol equivalents to daily vitamin A intake.
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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 culturally diverse society for which targeted interventions are required. Final Decision: yes