[Serum folate levels and related factors in children aged 5-7 years of four counties in Henan and Guizhou Provinces in 2023].

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the nutritional status of serum folate in children aged 5-7 years of four counties in Henan and Guizhou Provinces in 2023, and to analyze related factors.

METHODS

Using the probability proportionate to size sampling method(PPS), 792 children aged 5-7 years from four counties in Henan Province and Guizhou Province were selected as the research subjects. Serum folate levels were determined using a modified microbial method. The subjects were divided into deficiency group、normal range group and elevated group according to their serum folate levels, and the characteristics of the three groups were compared. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the related factors of serum folate levels.

RESULTS

The research subjects were drawn from 408 children in Song County and Ruyang County of Henan Province, and 384 children in Guiding County and Fuquan County of Guizhou Province. The number and composition ratio of boys and girls were 410(51.77%) and 382(48.23%), respectively. The average age was 72(65-79) months. The overall level of serum folate was 11.77(8.27, 17.29) ng/mL. The prevalence of folate deficiency was 9.6%(n=76). The girls, children from Guizhou Province and children of Hui ethnicity had a higher serum folate levels, and the folate levels were 12.54 ng/mL, 13.80 ng/mL, and 13.9 ng/mL respectively. The comparison study found that there were significant differences in age, gender, residence, ethnic group and three Z score groups among different folate levels(P<0.05). The result of the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that gender, region, and WAZ were independent factors associated with folate deficiency. Additionally, there was a significant interaction between region and gender(interaction term P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

There are regional differences in the problem of serum folic acid deficiency among 5-7 years children in four counties of Henan and Guizhou Provinces, and it is closely related to gender and body weight.