Vitamin A deficiency remains a public health problem in China

Objectives:
Vitamin A deficiency (VAD), a leading cause of preventable childhood blindness, has been recognized as an important public health problem in many developing countries. Therefore, this review article (meta-analysis) has been conducted.

The aim of this review article is to identify all population-based studies of vitamin A deficiency and marginal vitamin A deficiency (MVAD) in Chinese children published from 1990 onwards.

Study design:
This review article included 54 studies.

Results and conclusions:
The investigators found the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency and marginal vitamin A deficiency both decreased with increasing age and rural children had a higher prevalence of vitamin A deficiency and marginal vitamin A deficiency than urban children.

The investigators found in 2015, the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency was 5.16% [95% credible interval = 1.95-12.64] and that of marginal vitamin A deficiency was 24.29% [95% credible interval = 12.69-41.27] in Chinese children aged 12 years and under.

The investigators concluded that vitamin A deficiency remains a public health problem in China. Efforts to reduce vitamin A deficiency in younger children are needed, especially for those in rural areas.

Original title:
The Prevalence of Vitamin A Deficiency in Chinese Children: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Meta-Analysis by Song P, Wang J, […], An L.

Link:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29186832

Additional information of El Mondo:
Find more information/studies on food fortification/malnutrition, vitamin A and study design/meta-analysis/significant right here.