Abstract

MILAGRES, Regina Célia Rodrigues Miranda; NUNES, Lélia Cápua  and  PINHEIRO-SANT'ANA, Helena Maria. Vitamin A deficiency among children in Brazil and worldwide. Ciênc. saúde coletiva [online]. 2007, vol.12, n.5, pp. 1253-1266. ISSN 1413-8123.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1413-81232007000500023.

Based on a ten-year literature review, this paper describes important aspects of Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) among children in Brazil and worldwide. It presents VAD within a clinical and sub-clinical deficiency context, emphasizing this as a public health issue. VAD has been diagnosed in children from several parts of Brazil, especially in the Southeast and Northeast. Worldwide, the highest VAD prevalence is found in parts of parts of Africa: Mali, Ethiopia and Nigeria, and clinical indications noted especially in parts of Asia and Africa. However, no studies of clinical indications were located. Studies point to VAD as a public health issue among children, particularly in the poorest parts of the world.

Keywords : Vitamin A deficiency; Children; Clinical indications; Sub-clinical indications; Public health issues.