Vitamin A nutritional status of rural community of Khol block in Haryana, North India. A collaborative study

Abstract

A nutritional and diet survey was carried out in 2,192 persons belonging to all age groups in a rural community. Vitamin A consumption was less than the recommended daily allowance in persons of all age groups. Bitot’s spots and night blindness were detected in 7.1% and 7.2% of the population, respectively. Ocular signs of vitamin A deficiency were more frequently observed in age groups above 5 years as compared to the preschool children. There was no association of vitamin A deficiency with different grades of protein-calorie malnutrition in preschool children. Kerătomalacia was extremely rare and was observed only in one child. The study suggests that the rural area studied was a high prevalence zone for vitamin A deficiency which did not have its serious consequences due to relatively adequate protein-calorie nutritional status of the population.