[Food consumption patterns of children 4 to 14 years old in Valencia, Venezuela].

Results from a nutritional assessment are presented to establish the usual food consumption pattern of 438 children between 4-14 years of age, from a low income urban community in Valencia, Venezuela. Food intake data were collected through multiple 24 hours recalls and converted to individual food item weight in grams. Amounts of energy, macronutrients, iron, calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin C were estimated to compare them to national references.

[Soluble transferrin receptor-like indicator of iron nutritional status in Venezuelan preschoolers].

Soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) is an effective tool for iron deficiency (ID) diagnosis, and unlike serum ferritin (SF) and others indicators, is not affected by acute phase response during inflammatory processes. In order to diagnose ID using sTfR as iron status indicator and to estimate its utility, a cross sectional, descriptive study was performed in 190 preschoolers of Valencia, Venezuela. sTfR and SF were assessed by enzimoimmunoassay; hemoglobin (Hb) by automated method, and parasitic infestation by stool examination.

[Iron stores status at early pregnancy].

Iron deficiency is the most common cause of nutritional anemia. During pregnancy there is a high risk of developing it, due to the increase of iron requirements for fetal and maternal tissues growth. The objective of this study was to determine the iron nutritional status in early pregnancy and to determine its relationship with the dietary intake.

[Pre-cooked corn flour intake and its contribution of iron and vitamin A in low income preschoolers].

The objective of this study was to determine whether the addition of iron and vitamin A (VA) to corn flour, supplied through a national enrichment program since 1993, allows preschoolers to achieve an adequate intake of these nutrients. Data from the assessment of 196 children (4-6 year old) from Valencia, Venezuela is presented, including socio-demographic, anthropometric, anemia, VA deficiency (by conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) and serum retinol), and food intake. 92% of the children lived in poverty.

[Risk indicators of vitamin A deficiency in children younger than 15-years old from a slum area of Valencia, Venezuela].

Subclinical vitamin A (VA) deficiency is difficult to assess since there is not a single suitable indicator for every situation. With the objective of assessing VA status in a vulnerable group, 590 healthy children (< 15 years of age) from a low-income community of Valencia, Venezuela, were studied. VA intake was assessed through 24 hour dietary recalls, risk of VA intake deficiency was assessed following the IVACG methodology, VA status was assessed through serum retinol levels (HPLCr) and Conjunctival Impression Cytology (CIC) according to ICEPO methodology.