Nutritional Status for less‐explored micronutrients in underprivileged Guatemalan preschool children: Vitamin B12

Abstract

BackgroundIron, vitamin A, iodine, zinc and folate are prominent on the public health nutrition agenda. Marginal or deficient vit B12 status was reported in 68% of peri‐urban Guatemalan lactating mothers and 49% of the infants.ObjectiveTo assess vit B12 status in a convenience sample of 3–6 y/o preschoolers in disadvantaged urban and rural communities receiving subsidized meals.Methods104 serum samples were obtained from boys and girls in 3 sites in the Central Highlands of Guatemala, 47 from 2 urban (U) centers and 57 from a rural (R) center. Circulating levels of vit B12 were measured by a chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay method (Immulite 1000, Siemens, IL). Respective cutoff criteria for deficient and marginal for vit B12 were <200 pg/mL and 200–300 ng/mL. The contribution of dietary vit B12 from center menus was estimated.ResultsOverall mean vit B12 concentration (pg/mL) was 459±271 (median: 357): 583±294 (median: 527)(U) and 339±181 (median: 289)(R) (p<0.001). Globally, 8.6% had deficient and 26.9% had marginal values, for a 35.6% subnormal prevalence. Deficient plus marginal rates by setting were 10.6% (U) and 56.0% (R), respectively, with all 9 deficient subjects of rural origin. The 1 or 2 meals offered by the centers provided averages of 0.15 – 1.50 μg vit B12/d.ConclusionSlightly over one‐third of preschoolers had low vit B12 status, with a marked excess of low status in the rural setting.