Vitamin A deficiency – a major global healthcare issue
Malnutrition, defined as “poor nutrition”, is caused by an inadequate diet that lacks in appropriate nutrients. Vitamin deficiencies are a serious type of malnutrition that can lead to significant morbidity through conditions such as anaemia, blindness and even death. One of the most common and serious vitamin deficiencies is that of vitamin A. It is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children and it weakens the immune system, therefore increasing the risk of severe infections [1]. An estimated 250 million preschool-aged children as well as a substantial proportion of pregnant women are deficient in this micronutrient [2]
↑ Stephensen, C.B. (2001). Vitamin A, infection, and immune function. Annu Rev Nutr 21, 167-192.
