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About the Vitamin A problem

What is Vitamin A Deficiency? Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a type of malnutrition caused by a diet that provides less of this essential nutrient than the body needs for good health. It is one of the most common and widespread types of malnutrition in the world.

The World Health Organization estimates that 250 million people, suffer from VAD, including 40 percent of the children under five in the developing world. From one to two million preventable deaths occur annually as a result of VAD, because it compromises the immune system, putting babies and children at great risk of common diseases. VAD itself is the leading cause of childhood blindness globally affecting 250,000 - 500,000 children each year. Half die within 12 months of losing their eyesight. A 1992 UN International Conference on Nutrition found that "VAD control is the most cost-effective child health / survival strategy governments can pursue."