VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY

Vitamin A is typically taken up in the diet from specific plant and animal sources. Without these sources, deficiency compromises the immune system, stunts growth, and blinds the eyes, leaving patients vulnerable.

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is one of the leading causes of preventable childhood mortality. Vitamin A is acquired from specific plant and animal sources in our diet. Without these sources, the resulting deficiency can lead to destruction of the immune system, stunted growth, and blindness, leaving patients vulnerable to infection and mortality.

VAD disproportionately harms some of the world’s most vulnerable populations, particularly pregnant women and children who lack access to varied diets due to socioeconomic and cultural factors. It is widespread in regions of Africa and South Asia where diets may contain low amounts of Vitamin A. Furthermore, since vitamin A is fat soluble, deficiency can also be exacerbated by a lack of dietary fat, which is common in many of the same regions.

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Current solutions exist which have helped significantly, such as Vitamin A supplementation through annual shots and fortification of food. However, these solutions can leave communities reliant on charity or government aid infrastructure to provide them with ongoing, recurring relief. As a result, these solutions are unsustainable, and vulnerable in case of failure of infrastructure or continued funding. They also fail to address lipid deficiency.

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