American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 26, 1229-1233, Copyright © 1973 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

Vitamin A status and related nutritional parameters of children in East Jerusalem

¹ From the Heller Institute of Medical Research, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer Hospital and the Nutrition Unit, Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel

Nutrition surveys carried out in the early sixties revealed the existence of vitamin A malnutrition, manifested in clinical deficiency symptoms as well as low serum levels of the vitamin and its precursors in a significant portion of the children of East Jerusalem. It was the purpose of this study to examine the vitamin A status as well as other nutritional parameters usually associated with hypovitaminosis A as they exist today.

Fifty-four children, 5.5 years of age, from low socioeconomic families, were selected for this study. The children were examined for clinical signs of malnutrition and measurements were taken of their heights, weights, and triceps skin-fold thickness. Blood samples were assayed for hemoglobin, as was serum for retinol and carotenoid levels. The mothers of the children were interviewed for recall data on their families' food consumption.

The results showed no clinical signs of vitamin A or other nutritional deficiencies in the children examined. However, blood levels of vitamin A and its precursors were low and generally comparable to those found in the early sixties. The absence of clinical symptoms is explained by an adequate protein-calorie nutrition as evident from food consumption data and an improved growth rate of the children. A significant number of the children examined were still underweight and underheight for their age.