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Application of the modified relative dose response test to pregnant Indonesian women for assessing vitamin A status
S A Tanumihardjo1, D Suharno, D Permaesih
1Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames 50011, USA.
Objective:
To determine the prevalence of subclinical vitamin A deficiency (vitamin A inadequacy) in Indonesian pregnant women as assessed by the modified relative dose response test.
Design:
Cross-sectional study of the vitamin A statuses of pregnant (second trimester) women randomly selected from ten different villages.
Setting:
West Java, Indonesia.
Subjects:
A group of 144 pregnant women recruited from the local health posts.
Interventions:
Modified relative dose response (MRDR) test, serum retinol determination and gynecological examinations.
Results:
The mean (s.d.) MRDR ratio was 0.039 +/- 0.031. Of the women tested, the vitamin A status of 17% was provisionally classified as being marginal (subclinically deficient) (MRDR ratio > or = 0.060), of 35% as being uncertain (MRDR ratio between 0.030 and 0.060) and of 48% as being satisfactory (MRDR ratio < or = 0.030).
Conclusion:
If the vitamin A statuses of the 'uncertain' group are also deemed to be unsatisfactory, approximately half of the pregnant Indonesian women tested could benefit from an increased intake of vitamin A.