Analysis of factors associated with vitamin A nutritional status among 461 children aged 0 – 3 years in Hainan Province

Objective To investigate nutritional status of serum vitamin A among children aged 0 – 3 years in Hainan Province and factors associated with it, so as to provide scientific evidence to address vitamin A deficiency problem.

Methods Stratified random sampling method was used to recruit 461 children aged 0 – 3 years who underwent health checkups at township health centers in 5 cities and counties in Hainan Province as study subjects. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to assess serum vitamin A levels, while information of the children’s demographic and feeding characteristics were collected. The serum vitamin A levels and vitamin A deficiency of children with different characteristics were analyzed and compared.

Results There were 276 males and 185 females. The average serum vitamin A levels was (369.12 ± 134.81) ng/mL, with a marginal deficiency rate of 24.73% and a deficiency rate of 9.33%. There was no difference in the serum vitamin A levels between different gender (P > 0.05), while the differences between children of different age groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The highest marginal deficiency rate (45.98%) and the deficiency rate (22.99%) were in the 0 − < 6 months age group, and the marginal deficiency rate and the deficiency rate decreased with months (r = − 0.414, P < 0.05). Urban children had higher serum vitamin A levels and lower marginal deficiency and deficiency rates than those of rural children (P < 0.05). Children who had fruit and vitamin A supplements intake daily had higher serum vitamin A levels and lower marginal deficiency and deficiency rates than those whose intake frequency ≤ 6 times/week (P < 0.05). Stratified regression analysis showed that fruit intake interpreted 2.10% of the variation in vitamin A nutritional status after controlling for demographic variables.

Conclusion Vitamin A deficiency among children aged 0 – 3 years in Hainan Province is a mild public health issue. Monitoring should be enhanced, and timely vitamin A supplements intake and balanced diet should be the main intervention strategies.