Effect of double vitamin A and zinc supplementation on nutritional status and hepatic vitamin A reserves in children aged 6 to 59 months in Sourkoudougou

Abstract

We assessed vitamin A and zinc supplementation effect on nutritional status of children under five years old in Sourkoudougou (health district of Dandé). One hundred children from 6 to 59 months were included (May to November) in a randomized double blind trial testing the effect six months later, of vitamin A plus zinc (VAZ) (n=50) versus vitamin A plus placebo (VA) (n=50) on nutritional status. We compared vitamin A, zinc, and anthropometric indices, between and within study groups, using descriptive statistical tests for independent and dependent samples. Six months after supplementation, 85.4% (41/48) of children in group VA and 88,9% (40/45) in VAZ group, had unsufficient vitamin A liver stocks (p=0,760), whereas 64.8% (31/48) and 59.1% (26/44) respectively, had zinc deficiency (p=0,580). The study showed a significant decrease of underweight (p=0,011) and stunting (p=0,008) from the begining to the end of the study in VA and VAZ groups respectively. This study fail to show a significant improvement of vitamin A and zinc status although growth gain was noted in the VAZ group.