Introduction

Vitamin A deficiency is a problem of public-health significance in Tanzania, affecting mainly children and women of child-bearing age. A national prevalence survey which was done by TFNC in 1998 revealed that 24 percent of children had serum retinol levels below 20 mg/dl, and 69 percent of lactating women had breast milk retinol levels below 30 mg/dl. Such figures suggest that the proportion of children and lactating women with low retinol levels are far higher than the WHO cut-off levels for public health significance.

Magnitude and causes
Vitamin A deficiency is a nutritional disorder that mainly afflicts people in developing countries. The most obvious results of vitamin A deficiency are progressive damage to the eye, eventually leading to blindness. It is estimated that more than 250,000 preschool children go blind each year. Sub clinical vitamin A deficiency is a much more widespread problem, contributing to an increased risk of morbidity and mortality from common childhood infections. The prevalence of sub clinical vitamin A deficiency in infants fed breast milk suggests that lactating women in developing countries may also have insufficient stores of vitamin A.

Young children are at high risk of developing vitamin A deficiency due to their increased need during growth and their vulnerability to infections. Women of childbearing age are also at risk because of their increased need for the vitamin, both during pregnancy and, much more, during lactation. Vitamin A deficiency results from two primary factors: inadequate intake of preformed vitamin A and vitamin A precursors (provitamin A, carotenoids) and diseases.[more]