Vitamin a deficiency: a serious threat in Dodota district in central Ethiopia
Tafesse, Y.; Fisseha, T.; Umeta, M.; Hidar, J.; Teka, W.
East African Medical Journal 73(5): 303-307
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0012-835X PMID: 8756032 Document Number: 463410
Vitamin A deficiency is a major public health problem in Ethiopia. Clinical examination of 147 children 6 months-6 years of age from Ouda Dodota village in Ethiopia's Arsi zone revealed that 40.6% of boys and 30.8% of girls had at least 1 recognizable symptom of vitamin A deficiency. As a result of drought, consumption of beta carotene is very low in this grain-farming zone. Only 13% of children with clinical manifestations of vitamin A deficiency were under 3 years of age, presumably reflecting the protective effect of prolonged breast feeding. Night blindness, Bitit's spots, corneal ulceration, and corneal scars were present in 17.0%, 26.5%, 2.7%, and 0.7% of children, respectively. The concentration of serum retinol was measured in all children with xerophthalmia and 1 in every 20 remaining children. These levels were deficient (0.35 mcgmol/l) in 31.9% and low (0.35-0.69 mcgmol/l) in 48.9% of children. There was no association between retinol levels and clinical signs of vitamin A deficiency. 18.4% of children were wasted, 24.5% were stunted, and 10.2% were both wasted and stunted. Again, there was no significant association with signs of vitamin A deficiency. Finally, the risk of diarrhea was 2.17 times higher among children with xerophthalmia, confirming observations that repeated, prolonged diarrhea is a risk factor for vitamin A deficiency.