PROMOTION OF VITAMIN A STATUS THROUGH HORTICULTURE INTERVENTION
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Date
1999
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University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad
Abstract
The investigation focused on vitamin A status and impact of synthetic
and horticulture intervention on vitamin A status. Vitamin A status of 153 school
children of Dharwad taluk was assessed by dietary, anthropometry, clinical and
biochemical analysis. Children with serum retinol level less than 20ug/100ml were
included in intervention study. Children from group-l formed the control, a single
massive oral dose of 2,00,000 lU of vitamin A was given to group-II, horticultural
intervention was given to group-lll daily for 3 months, where standardized recipes
(fenugreek chapathi, drumstick leaves chapathi and carrot bhaji) met days's vitamin A
allowance (2400ug/day). Serum retinol level, haemoglobin level, anthropometric
parameters and morbidity pattern were recorded before and after supplementation
period.
The intake of all the nutrients of sample was less compared to
recommended dietary allowances. The adequacy of iron and p-carolens was less
than 50 per cent. As per Waterlow's classification, 29.41, 62.09, 5.23 and 3.27 percent were in normal, stunting, wasting and stunting and wasting group, respectively.
Majority fell in the category of low level of serum retinol and anemic group. The
prevalence of xerosis, night blindness and bitot's spots was 4.58, 0.65 and 0.65 percent, respectively. Significant association between adequacy of protein, p-carotene,
fat and serum retinol level and blood forming nutrients and haemoglobin level was
apparent. A significant relationship was also evident between haemoglobin level
and serum retinol level.
Both synthetic vitamin A and horticulture intervention improved the
serum retinol, hemoglobin level and anthropometric parameters. The synthetic
supplementation showed high increment value for serum retinol level compared to
the horticulture supplementation group. Nevertheless, the increment value for
anthropometry and hemoglobin level was high and there was a clear decrease in
the episodes of illness in the horticulture intervention group. Hence, horticulture
intervention is cost-effective, long-term, natural and sustainable strategy to solve
existing vitamin A Deficiency problem.
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