ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between anemia and childhood growth among preschool children. METHODS: The data were from the records of Children Follow-up Study Project carried out by Institute of Reproductive and Child Health of Peking University and the records of related perinatal health care surveillance system in 21 counties/cities of Hebei, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. These children were divided into three groups based on the hemoglobin concentration-non-anemia group, mild anemia group and middle & grave anemia group. The body height, body weight, BMI, HAZ, WAZ, stunting rate and underweight rate of each group were compared. RESULTS: The body height and body weight of each anemia group were significantly lower than those of non-anemia group. For each group of the anemic boys at the ages of 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-7 years, their body heights were averagely shorter by 0.65, 0.69, 0.94 and 1.42 cm and their body weights were averagely lighter by 0.22 kg, 0.18 kg, 0.38 kg, 0.63 kg than those of non-anemic boys respectively. As for anemic girls at the ages of 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-7 years, the body height gaps were 0.93, 0.74, 0.88 and l.7lcm and body weight gaps were 0.29, 0.22, 0.35 and 0.78 kg respectively. The anemic children were at higher risk for stunting (OR = 1.37) and underweight (OR = 1.32) after adjusting for birth weight, urban & country district, maternal height, maternal BMI at the first prenatal visit, maternal education and occupation. CONCLUSION: There was a significant correlation of growth retardation with childhood anemia, and more efforts should be made to prevent and treat childhood anemia in order to promote children growth.
Subject(s)
Anemia/epidemiology , Body Mass Index , Child Development , Body Height , Body Weight , Child , Child, Preschool , China/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Male , PrevalenceABSTRACT
Objective: To compare two methods (microbial assay and radioimmunoassay) for measuring plasma folate concentrations, and to examine the relationship between plasma folate levels, and alcohol consumption, tobacco use and body mass index, and the risk of hyperhomocysteinemia in China. Methods: We used a microtiter plate microbial assay and a radioimmunoassay to measure the folate concentration in 88 plasma samples. After comparing the results of these two methods and fitting a regression line, we examined the geographical, seasonal, and gender differences in folate concentration of plasma collected from 2 422 adults in south and north areas in China, and evaluated the association of plasma folate concentration, with alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, and body mass index, and with the risk of hyperhomocysteinemia, using the data from the two assays. Results: The data from the two assays had a linear relationship ( r =0.879, P =0.000); the regression was Y =0.683 X +0.308 (where X and Y were nature logarithmic transformations of plasma folate by microbial assay and radioimmunoassay, respectively); however, the mean plasma folate levels by microbial assay were much higher than those obtained by radioimmunoassay. Both data sets showed similar plasma folate distributions among Chinese adults, associations with other risk factors, and the risk of hyperhomocysteinemia. We estimated that 19.9% of the Southerners and 67.1% of the Northerners had plasma folate concentrations by radioimmunoassay lower than the 6.8 nmol/L used to define plasma folate deficiency. Conclusion: There is a linear relationship between plasma folate levels determined by microbial assay and radioimmunoassay, but because of the different levels obtained in the two assays, it is difficult to use the microbial assay results to evaluate folate status at this time. The use of 10.5 nmol/L as a cut off for plasma folate deficiency by microbial assay needs further study.
