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Breast milk is considered to be the best nutrient source for infants. However, nutritional compositions of breast milk in developing countries, especially among malnourished women, have not been fully investigated. This study aimed to assess nutritional status and nutrient composition of breast milk in lactating mothers in rural Vietnam. Sixty breastfeeding mothers at 6 to 12 mo postpartum, free from any medical disorder and/or medication, and not pregnant were randomly selected in Yen The, Bac Giang, Vietnam. Their nutritional status, breast milk concentration and dietary intakes were assessed. Among the study participants, anemia (39.0%) and low serum zinc concentration (55.4%) were frequently observed. Dietary assessment revealed lower intakes of iron (10.2+/-2.5 mg/d) and zinc (10.4+/-2.2 mg/d) than estimated requirements. The breast milk concentration of iron, zinc and copper was 0.43+/-0.15 mg/L, 0.56 (0.37, 0.82) mg/L and 0.19+/-0.05 mg/L, respectively. The breast milk concentration of iron, zinc and copper was not correlated to the serum concentration or dietary intakes. In conclusion, we uncovered a high prevalence of anemia and zinc deficiency in lactating mothers in rural Vietnam. The findings demonstrate a low breast milk zinc concentration among the participants, but need further investigation.

A cross-sectional study of 292 primary school children was conducted in rural Vietnam to investigate the relationship among micronutrient deficiencies, and other risk factors for anemia. Serum levels of iron, copper, zinc, selenium and magnesium were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and that of retinol by high performance liquid chromatography. Hemoglobin concentration in whole blood was measured by the cyanmethemoglobin method. The incidence of low serum zinc, selenium, magnesium, and copper in the children was 91.4, 75.6, 59.5, and 8.6%, respectively. Forty-five percent of the children were anemic and 11.3% suffered from vitamin A deficiency. A parameter significant associated with anemia was low serum selenium and vice versa (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.06-3.24, p<0.05). Other factors associated with anemia were serum retinol <1.05 micromol/L (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.25-3.36, p<0.01), and age in years (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.16-2.18, p<0.01). The study showed that low selenium is associated with anemia among school children in Vietnam. Interventions are required to gain insight into the potential role of selenium on prevention and control of anemia.