Coexisting micronutrient deficiencies among Sri Lankan pre-school children: a community-based study

Assessing micronutrient status in children may also have the benefit of addressing the problems of various micronutrient deficiencies with a unified programmatic approach on a public health scale. A cross‐sectional survey in the Galle district of the micronutrient and anthropometric status of 248 children of ages 3–5 years was performed to determine the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies iron, zinc (Zn), folate, calcium, caeruloplasmin, iodine, vitamin A and vitamin D] and the extent to which multiple micronutrient deficiencies coexist. The prevalence of anaemia haemogbolin (Hb) < 110.0 g L^?1] was 34.0% in males and 33.0% in females (overall 33.5%, gender difference, P = 0.92). In anaemic children, 7.0% of males and 15.0% of females were iron deficient (serum ferritin < 15.0 µg L^?1). Folate deficiency (<3.00 ng mL^?1) was found in 41.0% and 33.0% of male and female, respectively, whereas Zn deficiency (<9.95 µmol L^?1) occurred in 57.0% and 50.0% of male and female, respectively. Serum vitamin D deficiency (<35.0 nmol L^?1) was found in 26% and 25% of male and female, respectively. Anaemic males had a 3.0‐fold (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1–8.3) and 2.3‐fold (95% CI 0.8–6.6) greater risk of being underweight and thin, whereas the risk among anaemic females was 0.7‐fold (95% CI 0.3–1.8) and 0.9‐fold (95% CI 0.3–2.6) for being underweight and thin. Only 7.3% of the subjects did not have any micronutrient deficiency, 38.3% were deficient in two micronutrients, 17.7% had three micronutrient deficiencies and 6.0% had four or more micronutrient deficiencies. Multiple micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent in Sri Lankan pre‐school children and established baseline data for future studies.