Assessment of Skin Carotenoid Measurement as a Means to Detect Vitamin A Deficiency in Children and Pregnant Women of Nepal.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is an ongoing public health concern among children and pregnant women in Nepal despite robust national efforts to screen and treat this vision- and life-threatening condition.

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate skin carotenoid scores measured using the Veggie Meter as a rapid, noninvasive screening tool for VAD in Nepali children and pregnant women.

Methods

This comparative cross-sectional study enrolled 164 pregnant women and 168 children (aged 8 to 12 y) from public hospitals in three distinct outlying ecological regions of Nepal (Terai, Hill, and Mountain). The primary outcome assessed whether skin carotenoid status could be a biomarker for VAD. We determined skin carotenoid scores using the Veggie Meter and compared them

SUBMITTER: Thapa R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10356995 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature