TY  - JOUR
A1  - Bechir, Mahamat
A1  - Schelling, E.
A1  - Krämer, K.
A1  - Schweigert, Florian J.
A1  - Bonfoh, Bassirou
A1  - Crump, L.
A1  - Tanner, M.
A1  - Zinsstag, J.
T1  - Retinol assessment among women and children in sahelian mobile pastoralists
JF  - EcoHealth : conservation medicine, human health, ecosystem sustainability
N2  - Micronutrient deficiencies are widespread in developing countries, particularly in remote communities such as mobile pastoralists. The nutritional and vitamin A status of this population is not well-documented in Chad. This study assessed serum retinol levels among women and children under five-year-old in nomadic and semi-nomadic pastoralist and rural-settled communities, who are similarly exposed to risk factors such as gastrointestinal parasitic infection, anaemia and emaciation. The novel method of portable fluorometry was used for the first time to measure beta-carotene and retinol levels in a pastoral nomadic area. Moderate level blood retinol deficiency (< 0.7 mu mol/L) was observed in 5% (CI 1-11) of nomadic, 29% (CI 13-45) of semi-nomadic and 22% (CI 8-35) of sedentary women. In children, 1% (CI 0.1-4), 17% (CI 9-25) and 28% (CI 18-39), respectively, had moderate level blood retinol deficiency. In nomadic communities, women and children had blood retinol levels close to normal. Deficiency of retinol was strongly linked with lifestyle (nomadic, semi-nomadic and settled) among women and lifestyle and age among children. The results support an ecological linkage between human retinol levels and livestock milk retinol. This study shows the feasibility of portable retinol and beta-carotene measurement in human blood as well as human and animal milk under remote field conditions, but the approach requires further validation.
KW  - vitamin A
KW  - retinol
KW  - nomadic pastoralist
KW  - Chad
Y1  - 2012
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-012-0781-7
SN  - 1612-9202
VL  - 9
IS  - 2
SP  - 113
EP  - 121
PB  - Springer
CY  - New York
ER  -