Lack of Dietary Diversity Contributes to the Gaps in Micronutrient Status and Physical Development between Urban and Rural Infants

Shanshan GENG; Jingqiu MA; Shanshan LIU; Jie ZHANG; Xiaoyang SHENG

Iranian Journal of Public Health (Jul 2018)

Lack of Dietary Diversity Contributes to the Gaps in Micronutrient Status and Physical Development between Urban and Rural Infants

Shanshan GENG,
Jingqiu MA,
Shanshan LIU,
Jie ZHANG,
Xiaoyang SHENG

Affiliations

Shanshan GENG: Dept. of Children and Adolescents Health Care, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China AND MOE and Shanghai Key Lab of Children’s Environmental Health, Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
Jingqiu MA: Dept. of Children and Adolescents Health Care, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China AND MOE and Shanghai Key Lab of Children’s Environmental Health, Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
Shanshan LIU: Dept. of Children and Adolescents Health Care, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China AND MOE and Shanghai Key Lab of Children’s Environmental Health, Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
Jie ZHANG: Dept. of Anesthesia, Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
Xiaoyang SHENG: Dept. of Children and Adolescents Health Care, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China AND MOE and Shanghai Key Lab of Children’s Environmental Health, Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 47, no. 7

Abstract

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Background: Although the prevalence of malnutrition among Chinese infants has decreased, micronutrient deficiency is still common. This study aimed to describe and compare the status of micronutrient deficiency and its association with dietary variety and socio-demographic features among infants from urban and rural China. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 1200 children aged 18-month-old from rural villages in Yunnan and an urban city in Shanghai. Information on food intake was obtained from a 24-h dietary recall technique. Anthropometric measures, dietary diversity score (DDS), food variety score (FVS), and mean adequacy ratio (MAR) were calculated and compared. Correlations between DDS, FVS, MAR, NAR, and anthropometric measures were examined. Results: Compared with urban area, DDS, FVS, and NAR of most micronutrients of infants from rural areas were significantly lower. These data corresponded to significant lower Z-scores of physical growth in rural infants. DDS, FVS, and NAR were positively correlated to anthropometric measures. Conclusion: Infants from rural areas consumed a significantly lower amount of micronutrient and had worse anthropometric measures. Both DDS and FVS could be used in dietary assessment studies on children. This is the first research quantified the difference in dietary diversity and micronutrient status of infants in rural and urban areas of China. Our work can potentially serve as a guide to infant feeding recommendations.

Published in Iranian Journal of Public Health

ISSN: 2251-6085 (Print); 2251-6093 (Online)
Publisher: Tehran University of Medical Sciences
Country of publisher: Iran, Islamic Republic of
LCC subjects: Medicine: Public aspects of medicine
Website: http://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/IJPH/index

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