Vitamin A status of children in Sri Lanka

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Abstract
A representative country-wide rural nutrition status survey determined the extent and distribution of vitamin A deficiency in Sri Lanka in children 6-71 mo. of age. Trained paramedical personnel recorded the presence or absence of selected ophthalmological signs and symptoms associated with vitamin A deficiency in 13,450 children. The results of the country-wide clinical survey indicate that a vitamin A deficiency problem of public health importance may exist in 2 of 15 health areas. Serum vitamin A levels were determined on 346 survey children from 2 of 15 health areas and compared with clinical findings for these areas. The lowest mean serum vitamin A, 26.3 .mu.g/100 ml, occurred in children with clinical eye findings. A high prevalence of clinical eye findings, 34%, and the low mean serum vitamin A value, 28.2 .mu.g/100 ml, were found in the group of chronically undernourished children, children who are less than 90% of their expected height for age. The survey results enabled planned redirection of the distribution of vitamin A capsules to preschool children in Sri Lanka to areas shown to have the highest prevalences of ophthalmological signs and symptoms and/or the highest prevalence of chronic undernutrition.

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