Micronutrient Malnutrition

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is essential for sight and cell differentiation. Deficiency results in night blindness and ultimately blindness, growth retardation, damage of mucous membrane tracts, and reproductive disorders. Children with vitamin A deficiency are often deficient in multiple micronutrients and are likely to be anemic, have impaired growth, and be at increased risk of severe morbidity from common childhood infections such as diarrheal diseases and measles. Pregnant women with vitamin A deficiency may be at increased risk of mortality.
Some 127 million preschool children are vitamin A deficient, which is about one-quarter of all preschool children in high-risk regions of the developing world. Globally, approximately 4.4 million preschool-age children have visible eye damage due to vitamin A deficiency. Annually, between 250,000 and 500,000 preschool children go blind from this deficiency, and about two-thirds die within months of going blind. Close to 20 million pregnant women in developing countries are also vitamin A deficient, of which about one-third are clinically night blind. Nearly one-half of these cases occur in India.

Regional and Global Prevalence (%) and Numbers Affected by Vitamin A Deficiency and Xerophthalmia

West K.P. Jr. 2002. Extent of Vitamin A Deficiency among Preschool Children and Women of Reproductive Age. The Journal of Nutrition. Vol 132 (2857S-2866S)

Publications on Vitamin A