Food Insecurity and Micronutrient Status among Ghanaian Women Planning to Become Pregnant

• Published in: Nutrients 2020-02, Vol.12 (2), p.470
• Main Authors: Pobee, Ruth Adisetu, Aguree, Sixtus, Colecraft, Esi Komeley, Gernand, Alison D, Murray-Kolb, Laura E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 25-Hydroxyvitamin D; Adolescent; Adult; Adults; Age; anemia; Biomarkers; Biomarkers - blood; Chromatography; copper; Copper - blood; Cross-Sectional Studies; Data collection; Drawing and ironing; Family Planning Services - statistics & numerical data; Female; food insecurity; Food security; Food Supply - statistics & numerical data; Ghana; Hemoglobin; Hemoglobins - analysis; Households; Humans; iron; Iron - blood; Laboratories; Liquid chromatography; Logistic Models; Low income groups; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Medical research; micronutrients; Micronutrients - blood; Nutrient deficiency; Nutrients; Nutritional Status; Plasma; Pregnancy; Quantitative psychology; Questionnaires; Regression analysis; Reproductive Health - statistics & numerical data; retinol; Socioeconomic factors; Spectrophotometry; Statistical analysis; Vitamin A; Vitamin A - blood; women of reproductive age; Young Adult; zinc; Zinc - blood
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu12020470

We examined the association between food insecurity (FIS) and micronutrient status among Ghanaian women planning to become pregnant. A cross-sectional analysis was completed of 95 women aged 18-35 years, living in the Upper Manya Krobo District in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Questionnaires were administered to collect sociodemographic and food security data; weight and height were measured. Blood was drawn from an antecubital vein; one drop was used to assess hemoglobin via Hemocue. Zinc and copper were analyzed using flame atomic spectrophotometry while iron biomarkers, retinol and 25-hydroxyvitamin D were analyzed using ELISA, ultra-performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, respectively. Logistic regression models were used to determine the relationship between food insecurity (FIS) and micronutrient deficiencies. FIS was reported among 23% of the households, while micronutrient deficiencies ranged from 7-28% irrespective of FIS status. Retinol concentrations were negatively associated with FIS ( = 0.043) after controlling for covariates, although levels were within the normal range in both groups. No statistically significant associations between FIS and micronutrient deficiencies were found. Among those with FIS, 59% were deficient in at least one nutrient with 18% deficient in two nutrients. Unmarried women were at higher risk of FIS ( = 0.017) than married women. FIS was associated with retinol concentrations but not other micronutrient biomarkers in Ghanaian women expecting to become pregnant in the next 6 months.