ABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and its correlates among apparently healthy children and adolescents. Methods: We carried out a secondary analysis of data of Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey 2016-18 to analyze the pre-valence and predictors of VDD among Indian children and adolescents. Results: The over-all prevalence of VDD in preschool children (1-4 years), school age (5-9 years) children, and adolescents (10-19 years) was 13.7%, 18.2%, and 23.9%, respectively. Age, living in urban area, and winter season were significantly associated with VDD. Vegetarian diet and high-income households were the main risk factors observed in 5-19 years age category. Female sex and less than three hour of physical activity/week were independent risk factors among adolescents. Conclusion: The prevalence and determinants of VDD across different age-groups are reported, and these should be interpreted and addressed to decrease the burden of VDD in India.
ABSTRACT
Objectives: Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in India across all age groups despite sufficient sunlight. The aim of this study was to compare two interventions: sun exposure and supplementation in improving vitamin D status. Methods: Eighty-eight young women aged 17-22 years studying at Delhi University were enrolled in the study. At baseline socioeconomic data was collected, weight and height were measured and blood sample taken for estimation of vitamin D status. Participants were then randomised into three groups: Group S (weekly supplementation of 60,000 IU cholecalciferol for two weeks, Group E (30 minutes of daily January sun exposure of face, arms and legs for two weeks) and Group C (no intervention or control). End study blood samples were collected to estimate plasma 25 hydroxy-vitamin D3 (25OHD) levels. Results: Seventy-one women completed the study, 13 refused to continue and four did not provide final samples. Mean age and BMI were 19.9+1.6 years and 22.1+3 kg/m2, respectively. Overall baseline plasma 25OHD levels were 14.1+10.3 nmol/L. Vitamin D supplementation significantly improved the vitamin D status (46.5+19.3 nmol/L; p<0.001) after two weeks but no difference was observed in the sun exposure group (12.5+2.9 nmol/L) or the intervention/control group (17.7+29.9 nmol/L). Conclusions: Weekly vitamin D supplementation (60,000 IU) for two weeks significantly improved vitamin D status of young adult women whereas daily sun exposure of half hour for two weeks did not show any effect.
ABSTRACT
Diarrhoeal infections are the fifth leading cause of death worldwide and continue to take a high toll on child health. Mushrooming of slums due to continuous urbanization has made diarrhoea one of the biggest public-health challenges in metropolitan cities in India. The objective of the study was to carry out a community-based health and nutrition-education intervention, focusing on several factors influencing child health with special emphasis on diarrhoea, in a slum of Delhi, India. Mothers (n=370) of children, aged >12-71 months, identified by a door-to-door survey from a large urban slum, were enrolled in the study in two groups, i.e. control and intervention. To ensure minimal group interaction, enrollment for the control and intervention groups was done purposively from two extreme ends of the slum cluster. Baseline assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and practices on diarrhoea-related issues, such as oral rehydration therapy (ORT), oral rehydration salt (ORS), and continuation of breastfeeding during diarrhoea, was carried out using a pretested questionnaire. Thereafter, mothers (n=195) from the intervention area were provided health and nutrition education through fortnightly contacts achieved by two approaches developed for the study—‘personal discussion sessions’ and ‘lane approach’. The mothers (n=175) from the control area were not contacted. After the intervention, there was a significant (p=0.000) improvement in acquaintance to the term ‘ORS’ (65-98%), along with its method of reconstitution from packets (13-69%); preparation of home-made sugar-salt solution (10-74%); role of both in the prevention of dehydration (30-74%) and importance of their daily preparation (74-96%); and continuation of breastfeeding during diarrhoea (47-90%) in the intervention area. Sensitivity about age-specific feeding of ORS also improved significantly (p=0.000) from 13% to 88%. The reported usage of ORS packets and sugar-salt solution improved significantly from 12% to 65% (p=0.000) and 12% to 75% (p=0.005) respectively. The results showed that health and nutrition-education intervention improved the knowledge and attitudes of mothers. The results indicate a need for intensive programmes, especially directed towards urban slums to further improve the usage of oral rehydration therapy.