The effect of diet on the haemoglobin and haematocrit values of some Nigerian village children

Abstract

1. Eighty-eight Nigerian village children aged 1–12 years were involved in this study.2. A food consumption survey on each child was carried out for 7 consecutive d; iron, folic acid and calorie intakes were calculated from food composition tables.3. Samples of the children's diets (cooked) were collected and analysed for moisture, total nitrogen and ascorbic acid content.4. Blood samples were assessed for haemoglobin and haematocrit values.5. Calorie, protein and folic acid intakes were low for all age groups; iron and ascorbic acid intakes were adequate.6. There was no incidence of severe anaemia. Only 10% of all the eighty-eight children had a haemoglobin concentration below acceptable levels and only about 8 % of all the eighty-eight children had haematocrit values below acceptable level.