Vitamin A deficiency in Bangladesh

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Abstract
Vitamin A deficiency is a major problem in Bangladesh, accounting for something like 30 000 children under sixyears of age going blind each year, and at least half of these dying within weeks of the blinding episode National studies have confirmed widespread low intakes of vitamin A in the diet and high prevalences of signs and symptoms of xerophthalmia. These prevalences are all well in excess of WHO threshold levels at which a major public health problem is considered to exist. Smaller, often clinically-based studies have confirmed low serum retinol levels and interactions with diarrhoea, measles and other infectious disease including the presence of enteric parasites. Risk factors in the development of xerophthalmia include diet, age, infectious disease, maternal education, socioeconomicstatus seasonal variation and geographic clustering. Although short to long term prevention and control programmes are to some extent in place, much remains to be done.

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