F&N Bulletin Vol 23 No 1b - United Nations University

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72 J. Ghanekar et al. References 1. Indian Council of Medical Research. Evaluation of the national nutritional anemia prophylaxis program. An ICMR Task Force Study. New Delhi: ICMR, 1989. 2. Gillespie SR, Mason JB, Kevany J. Controlling iron deficiency. ACC/SCN State-of-the-Art Series, Nutrition Policy Discussion Paper 9. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1991. 3. Bernard HR. Research methods in anthropology: qualitative and quantitative approaches. Thousand Oaks, Calif, USA: Sage Publications, 1995. 4. International Nutritional Anemia Consultative Group. Measurements of iron status. A report of the International Nutritional Anemia Consultative Group (INACG). Washington, DC: INACG, 1985. 5. Galloway R, McGuire J. Determinants of compliance with iron supplementation: supplies, side effects or psychology? Soc Sci Med 1994;39:381–90.
Development and validation of a short food-frequency questionnaire for screening women of childbearing age for vitamin A status in northwestern Iran Nasrin Omidvar, Mahmood Ghazi-Tabatabie, Gail G. Harrison, Shahriar Eghtesadi, Soltan-Ali Mahboob, and Mahdi Pourbakht Abstract A high percentage of women in their childbearing years suffer from subclinical vitamin A deficiency; 10% to 20% of pregnant women worldwide are vitamin A deficient. This study aimed to design and validate a short foodfrequency questionnaire to serve as a simple screening tool for vitamin A status in women of childbearing age. The sample consisted of 187 healthy, nonpregnant, nonlactating women 15 to 49 years of age, from urban and rural areas of Marand district in East Azerbaijan. Dietary intake was evaluated by a face-to-face interview using a 24-hour dietary recall for two consecutive days and a 41-item qualitative food frequency questionnaire. Height, weight, and serum retinol were measured. Serum retinol values were less than 20 µg/dl for three subjects, while an additional 34 subjects (18%) had values between 21 and 30 µg/dl. Principal-component analysis performed on the food-frequency questionnaire identified five components that together defined 34.4% of the variance in estimated vitamin A intake and were used to derive a 20-item short food-frequency questionnaire. Internal consistency of the short instrument was acceptable (Cronbach’s alpha = .59). Serum retinol was significantly correlated with total vitamin A intake and with intake of vitamin A from plant sources, as estimated by the short food-frequency questionnaire. Important sources of provitamin A in these women’s diets included some not typical of other populations: nuts and green leaves of types used elsewhere in small quantities as herbs, but important in Iran because the amount and frequency of consumption are relatively high. We conclude that the Nasrin Omidvar, Shahriar Eghtesadi, Soltan-Ali Mahboob, and Mahdi Pourbakht are affiliated with the School of Nutrition and Public Health, Tabriz University, in Tabriz, Iran. Mahmood Ghazi-Tabatabie is affiliated with the School of Social Sciences, Tabriz University. Gail G. Harrison is affiliated with the University of California, School of Public Health and Center for Human Nutrition in Los Angeles, California, USA. questionnaire is relatively valid and potentially useful in identifying women at risk for vitamin A deficiency in this population. Introduction Vitamin A deficiency is a major public health problem in less-developed and developing countries and has a high impact on morbidity and mortality [1, 2]. About 100 million children in the world are estimated to be vitamin A deficient [3]. A high percentage of women of childbearing age suffer from subclinical vitamin A deficiency: 10% to 20% of pregnant women worldwide are vitamin A deficient [3]. Iran, like most of the Middle East, is not an area of severe vitamin A deficiency, but mild-to-moderate vitamin A deficiency is widespread in vulnerable groups. Dietary studies in Iran conducted from the 1960s through as recently as 1995 indicate an inadequate intake of vitamin A, especially in rural areas [4]. A variety of biochemical methods exist to evaluate the vitamin A status of communities [5]; however, biochemical methods are invasive and relatively expensive [6, 7]. Thus, development of alternative methods that are inexpensive and easy to perform in the field setting is a priority. In this context, dietary assessment methods have been recommended for identifying groups at risk for vitamin A deficiency and for assessing food habits as a basis for designing effective interventions to improve vitamin A status [8]. The targeted food-frequency questionnaire has been proposed as a simple, inexpensive dietary assessment method with low interview and recording error as well as minimal recall bias [9]. However, food-frequency questionnaires need to be tailored to the food-consumption patterns and culture of the population under study [10, 11]. Biochemical indicators can then be used to validate the food-frequency questionnaire, identify food items with maximum discriminating effect, and exclude those with little predictive value, despite having high content of the nutrient of interest [12]. Food and Nutrition Bulletin, vol. 23, no. 1 © 2002, The United Nations University. 73
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Contents Review articles Nuclear an
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Special Article Nuclear and isotopi
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Nuclear and isotopic techniques 5 T
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Nuclear and isotopic techniques 7 T
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Nuclear and isotopic techniques the
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Palm oil: A healthful and cost-effe
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Palm oil will be less absorbed and
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Palm oil oil at the present time is
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Palm oil crystal forms for the requ
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Palm oil myristic acid (14:0) is hi
Page 21 and 22: Palm oil 13. Kritchevsky D. Influen
Page 23 and 24: Introduction to three regional stud
Page 25 and 26: Nutritional status of urban primary
Page 31 and 32: Regional study of nutritional statu
Page 41 and 42: Regional study of nutritional statu
Page 49 and 50: Street food vendors their consumers
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Page 53 and 54: Street food vendors Reardon [28] co
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Page 59 and 60: Iron and energy supplementation the
Page 61 and 62: Iron and energy supplementation The
Page 63 and 64: Iron and energy supplementation 63
Page 65 and 66: Toward better compliance with iron-
Page 71: Toward better compliance with iron-
Page 75 and 76: Development and validation of a sho
Page 83 and 84: Factors associated with successful
Page 89 and 90: Difference in goiter rates between
Page 91 and 92: Difference in goiter rates Methods
Page 93 and 94: Difference in goiter rates iodized
Page 95 and 96: Iron-deficiency anemia in young wor
Page 107 and 108: Discussion paper What care practice
Page 109 and 110: Letter to the Editor 109 iodized sa
Page 111 and 112: News and notes 2001 World Food Priz
Page 113 and 114: UNU Food and Nutrition Programme NU
Page 115: Note for contributors The editors o
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F&N Bulletin Vol 23 No 1b - United Nations University

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