title: Prevalence of vitamin A deficiency and its determinants among the rural pre-school children of Madhya Pradesh, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) continues to be a major public health nutritional problem in India, even though the National Vitamin A Prophylaxis Programme has been in operation for more than three decades.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency among rural pre-school children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in rural Madhya Pradesh. A total of 8777 pre-school children were clinically examined for VAD and blood vitamin A levels were estimated in a sub-sample by dried blood spot method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of night blindness and Bitot's spot, an objective sign of VAD, was 0.8% and 1.4%, respectively, and prevalence increased significantly (p < 0.001) with age. The proportion of children with blood vitamin A deficiency ( < 20 μg/dL) was 88% (95% CI: 84.8-91.2).The prevalence of Bitot's spot was significantly (p < 0.001) higher among children of lower socio-economic communities, 3-5-year age group and those of illiterate mothers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VAD is a major public health problem among rural children of Madhya Pradesh. Children of 3-5 years and those belonging to lower socio-economic communities are at high risk of VAD. Therefore, appropriate intervention measures are to be initiated to improve the vitamin A status of children.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India. arlappan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arlappa
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Balakrishna
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laxmaiah
authors.forename: Pullakhandam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Raghu
authors.forename: V Vikas
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: K Madhavan
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: G N V
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Brahmam
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009313:National Health Programs; D009755:Night Blindness / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A