Epidemiology and Risk Factors of Vitamin-A Deficiency explain briefly in simple and golden words

1. Epidemiology and Risk
Factors of Vitamin-A
Deficiency
By:
Muhammad Abdur Rehman Siddiqui

2. EPIDEMIOLOGY OF VAD
 Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is an important public
health problem worldwide that contributes
significantly to the global burden of disease.
 Vitamin A deficiency disorders include
xerophthalmia and increased risk of infectious
diseases, both of which increase risk of mortality.
 Areas with highly prevalent VAD often share
common dietary and other environmental
exposures, including poverty, infectious diseases,
limited development and poor availability of vitamin
A containing food.

3. EPIDEMIOLOGY OF VAD
Globally, the prevalence of VAD has been
declining, which may be due to widespread
vitamin A supplementation in conjunction with
measles immunization in at-risk populations.
 Recent meta-analyses confirm that provision of
vitamin A to children aged between 6 months
and 5 years confers a significant mortality
benefit.

4. EPIDEMIOLOGY OF VAD
 Further preventative measures for VAD
comprise improving availability of vitamin A
containing food, including foods biofortified
with vitamin A.
 Biofortification is a process to increase the
bioavailability and the concentration of nutrients
in crops through both conventional plant
breeding and recombinant DNA technology

5. EPIDEMIOLOGY OF VAD
 Ensuring vitamin A is available in any form in
adequate quantities remains problematic,
especially in areas affected by environmental
catastrophes and conflict, and other areas
where access to vitamin A containing foods and
healthcare interventions is limited.
 Hence, it remains essential that maternal and
child health workers remain vigilant for VAD in
nutritionally vulnerable populations.

6. RISK FACTORS OF VAD
a. Prolonged dietary deprivation
b. Decreased bioavailability of provitamin A
carotenoids
c. Interference with absorption, storage, or
transport of vitamin A
d. Iron deficiency can affect vitamin A uptake

7. RISK FACTORS OF VAD
e. Excess alcohol
f. Protein energy malnutrition
g. Fat malabsorption
h. Some diseases like Cystic Fibrosis,
Inflammatory Bowel Disease, pancreatic
insufficiency and small bowel bypass surgery
etc