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Estimated prevalence of vitamin A deficiency in children aged 6 to 59 months by country in 2013 (A) and the posterior standard deviation (analogous to standard error in non-Bayesian analysis) of the estimates (B)
Source publication
Vitamin A deficiency is a risk factor for blindness and for mortality from measles and diarrhoea in children aged 6-59 months. We aimed to estimate trends in the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency between 1991 and 2013 and its mortality burden in low-income and middle-income countries.
We collated 134 population-representative data sources from 83...
Citations
... Retinol and related compounds are important for eyesight and help preventing night blindness (nyctalopia) and lack of tears (xerophthalmia). Vitamin A deficiency is a common health issue in the developing world, leading to preventable childhood blindness, afflicting thousands of malnourished children each year, with more than 100,000 deaths per year (Stevens et al., 2015). Due to its high carotene content, CPO represents an ideal, available dietary source for vitamin A in subsaharian countries. ...
Introduction: The African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is the predominant oil crop in the world. In addition to triacylglycerols, crude palm oil (CPO) extracted from the mesocarp of the fruits, contains high amounts of provitamin A (carotenes) and vitamin E (tocochromanols). Because of their unsaturated nature, the carotenes are prone to oxidation and therefore are in part limiting for the shelf life of CPO. Methods: A tree with unusual toochromanol composition was identified by HPLC screening of the mesocarp of wild trees. Polymorphisms in a candidate gene were identified by DNA sequencing. The candidate protein was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli coli and Arabidopsis thaliana to test for enzyme activity. Oxidative stability of the CPO was studied by following carotene degradation over time. Results: In the present study, a wild Oil Palm tree (C59) from Cameroon was identified that lacks a-tocopherol and a-tocotrienol and instead accumulates the respective g forms, suggesting that the activity of g-tocopherol methyltransferase (VTE4) was affected. Sequencing of the VTE4 locus in the genome of plant C59 identified a G/C polymorphism that causes the exchange of a highly conserved tryptophan at position 290 with serine. The W290S exchange renders the VTE4 enzyme inactive, as shown after expression in Escherichia coli and Arabidopsis thaliana. The oxidative stability of carotenes in the mesocarp of the wild palm C59 was enhanced compared with control accessions. Furthermore, supplementation of commercial palm oil with different tocochromanols showed that g-tocotrienol exerts a stronger effect during the protection of carotenes against oxidation than a-tocotrienol.
... However, it is worth highlighting that BSx can also be indirectly associated with potentially sight-threatening ocular manifestations. Indeed, nowadays in developed countries, BSx represents one of the main causes of hypovitaminosis and, in particular, of vitamin A deficiency (VAD) [2]. The latter can be associated with various ocular manifestations, such as nyctalopia, ocular surface alterations (including corneal ulcerations), and retinopathy [2, 3]. ...
... In these countries, sub-clinical VAD affects 6-35% of preschool children [5,6]. Worldwide, it is estimated that over 200 million preschool-age children have VAD [7] and it remains a public health problem, particularly in SSA [8]. The primary effects of VAD are the functional impairment of sight and debilitation of various physiological processes including the immune response and wide-ranging secondary effects on health, productivity and growth of populations [1,6]. ...
... This was in agreement with other studies [13,26,27]. Education was indicated according to formal educational categories, which reflected to years of schooling: primary and below (0-7), lower secondary (8)(9)(10)(11), upper secondary and beyond (≥ 12). This study strengthens the others which suggest that formal education directly or indirectly contributes to health-related knowledge through increased exposure and ability to comprehend and apply pertinent information. ...
Background
Vitamin A (VA) remains a core micronutrient as VA Deficiency (VAD) in children has persisted as a public health problem in parts of Africa with adverse effects. Caregivers of children are essential in the control of VAD; however, there is a paucity of data on their knowledge of VA, dietary sources, and VAD. This study sought to assess the level of VA-related nutrition knowledge (VANK) and its predictors among caregivers of preschool children in Eastern Uganda.
Methods
A cross-sectional analytical design was used. Both socio-demographic and knowledge and attitude (KA) data were collected using a structured questionnaire partly adapted from the FAO model Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) questionnaire. A sample size of 256 was used. Caregivers of 24–59 months-old children were selected from Bukwo District in Eastern Uganda using purposive and random sampling methods. Knowledge scores (%) based on responses to ten questions were determined and eventually classified as low (≤ 40%) and moderate or high (˃40%). Descriptive and inferential statistics were computed using SPSS (version 24). Logistic regression was used to identify predictors with p < 0.05 considered significant.
Results
The study had 247 caregivers with a mean age of 30.9 ± 7.7 years. The majority were female (90%), married, subsistence crop farmers and had primary-level education or lower. The mean VANK score was 18.9 ± 24.7%. Overall, most of the caregivers had low VANK as only about 20% had moderate or high. The proportions that knew the different aspects of VANK were correspondingly small. About half of the caregivers (46.6%) knew VA itself and only 27% knew any of its sources. Those who knew VAD, its causes, signs/symptoms and prevention measures were 31, 22, 13 and 24% respectively. The caregivers’ VANK was significantly associated with their overall VA-related attitude, age and level of education. However, education and age were the significant predictors.
Conclusion
Caregivers had very low VANK. They barely knew VA and its food sources or VAD. The main predictors of VANK were caregiver age and level of education. The study recommends education of caregivers about VA for effective VAD control which contributes to achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2.
... VAD was ranked as the eighth most common contributor to the age-standardized prevalence of visual loss in 2017 (2). Furthermore, VAD is a risk factor for several causes of mortality in children, including diarrhea and measles (30,31), and accounts for about 0.4% of all mortality among those under 5 years old in Central Asia and MENA (31). ...
... VAD was ranked as the eighth most common contributor to the age-standardized prevalence of visual loss in 2017 (2). Furthermore, VAD is a risk factor for several causes of mortality in children, including diarrhea and measles (30,31), and accounts for about 0.4% of all mortality among those under 5 years old in Central Asia and MENA (31). ...
Background
Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a common micronutrient deficiency that imposes a substantial burden worldwide. This study examined the burden of VAD from 1990 to 2019 in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region by age, sex and sociodemographic index (SDI).
Methods
The data were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 database. We reported the prevalence, incidence, and years lived with disability (YLDs) that were attributable to VAD for the MENA region, along with its constituent countries.
Results
In 2019, the MENA region had 30.6 million prevalent cases of VAD, with an age-standardized prevalence rate of 5249.9 per 100,000 population. In addition, VAD was responsible for 62.2 thousand YLDs, with an age-standardized YLD rate of 10.2 per 100,000. The age-standardized prevalence [50.3% (−55.9 to −44.7)] and YLD [−49.3% (−55.3 to −43.1)] rates of VAD have significantly decreased since 1990. In 2019, the MENA region’s VAD-attributable YLD rate was below the global average for males and females across all age groups. Additionally, SDI was negatively associated the age-standardized YLD rate of VAD.
Conclusion
This study underscores the necessity of frequently updating health data and developing guidelines and regulations to prevent, detect early, and effectively treat VAD in the MENA countries.
... It plays a crucial role in various physiological functions, including vision, reproductive and immune systems, epithelial cell differentiation and normal bone growth and development (World Health Organization, 2009;Takahashi, 2010). It is estimated that 30% of children under 5 years of age and 19 million pregnant and lactating women worldwide are deficient in VA, and about 2% of deaths among children under 5 years of age are related to VA deficiency (Stevens et al., 2015;Yang et al., 2015a). Thus, maintaining an adequate dietary intake of VA is essential since humans cannot synthesise it themselves. ...
Vitamin A (VA) is a fat‐soluble compound that is essential for physiological functions including vision, fetal growth, immune response, cell differentiation and proliferation. However, its susceptibility to environmental conditions leading to poor stability limits its application in food. This study investigated the interaction between egg white protein (EWP) and VA by spectroscopy and molecular docking. The results indicated one EWP could bind 16.00 ± 0.89 VA molecules and the binding constant is (2.59 ± 0.71) × 10⁵ m⁻¹. What's more, there was a fluorescence resonance energy transfer between EWP and VA, and the Förster radius is 5.28 nm. In addition, VA enhanced the hydrophobic interactions with the EWP, resulting in protein aggregation, larger average particle size and more uniform particle size distribution. Finally, the combination of VA with EWP could significantly improve the photothermal stability and storage stability of VA. These studies indicate that EWP nanocomplexes can be used as ideal delivery carriers for bioactive substances.
... Introduction Micronutrient deficiencies are severe and widespread in West Africa, particularly among young children, pregnant and lactating women, and women of reproductive age [1][2][3]. These deficiencies have developmental and physical consequences, including increased risk of morbidity and mortality [4], which, in turn, have economic consequences [5]. ...
Introduction
Micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent in West Africa, particularly among women of reproductive age (WRA) and young children. Bouillon is a promising food fortification vehicle due to its widespread consumption. This study aims to evaluate the impact of multiple micronutrient-fortified bouillon cubes, compared to control bouillon cubes (fortified with iodine only), on micronutrient status and hemoglobin concentrations among lactating and non-lactating WRA and young children in northern Ghana.
Methods
This randomized, controlled doubly-masked trial will be conducted in the Kumbungu and Tolon districts in the Northern Region of Ghana, where prior data indicate multiple micronutrient deficiencies are common. Participants will be: 1) non-pregnant non-lactating WRA (15–49 y), 2) children 2–5 y, and 3) non-pregnant lactating women 4–18 months postpartum. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to receive household rations of one of two types of bouillon cubes: 1) a multiple micronutrient-fortified bouillon cube containing vitamin A, folic acid, vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and iodine, or 2) a control cube containing iodine only.
Each participant’s household will receive a ration of bouillon cubes every 2 weeks, and households will be advised to prepare meals as usual, using the study-provided cubes. The trial duration will be 9 months for non-pregnant non-lactating WRA and children, and 3 months for lactating women. The primary outcomes will be changes in biomarkers of micronutrient status and hemoglobin among WRA and children and milk micronutrient concentrations among lactating women. Secondary outcomes will include change in prevalence of micronutrient deficiency and anemia; dietary intake of bouillon and micronutrients; inflammation, malaria, and morbidity symptoms; and child growth and development.
Discussion
Evidence from this study will inform discussions about bouillon fortification in Ghana and West Africa.
Trial registration
The trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT05178407 ) and the Pan-African Clinical Trial Registry ( PACTR202206868437931 ). This manuscript reflects protocol version 4 (August 29, 2022).
... Health risks associated with inadequate nutrient intake, particularly vitamin A (Aguayo and Baker 2005) and protein deficiencies (Henley, Taylor, and Obukosia 2010;Schönfeldt and Hall 2012) in developing and/or low-income countries, is still on the increase. For a whilst now, vitamin A deficiency has posed a significant public health challenge, leading to a rise in preventable blindness especially among children (Stevens et al. 2015). In Ghana, around 20.8% of children under 5 years old and 1.5% of women of reproductive age are estimated to have vitamin A deficiency (Wegmüller et al. 2020). ...
Protein deficiency, especially among children, is prevalent in most developing countries. One sustainable strategy proposed to tackle this deficiency is by incorporating locally available but underutilised staple foods that are rich in proteins such as Bambara groundnut into pre‐existing and popular diets such as porridge prepared from roasted maize flour. This strategy can also be used to tackle vitamin A deficiency which is common among children and pregnant women through the incorporation of ripe plantain—a vitamin A rich staple. In this study, the quality of composite flours prepared from roasted maize, Bambara groundnut and ripe plantain and the acceptability of porridge made thereof was investigated. Increasing the levels of Bambara groundnut and ripe plantain increased the protein and β‐carotene levels, respectively, without affecting the physicochemical quality. Increasing the content of ripe plantain increased the iron content; however, higher levels of the Bambara groundnut increased the tannin content. Flash profiling showed that flour composition influenced the attributes of the porridges; however, hedonic sensory scores showed no differences in acceptability with respect to the aroma, appearance, texture and taste.
... Despite the progress made in food and pharmaceutical industries in the 21st century, complications due to vitamin A deficiency still cause blindness and even deaths worldwide [1]. Therefore, vitamin A supplementation programs and food and beverage fortification technologies are of relevance for combating malnutrition in low-income and middleincome countries, which are the ones that struggle the most with this problem [2]. β-carotene (βCT) is a precursor of vitamin A and an antioxidant with various potential benefits such as vision protection, anti-cancer agent, and reducing sunburn [3,4]. ...
... The temperature dependence of lnk a and lnk d can be analyzed using the linear Arrhenius approach (Eq. 4, Fig. S3) to determine the activation energy ( E ‡ x ) required to form the [βCD-NH 2 /βCT] ‡ activated complex via the association of free βCT with immobilized βCD-NH 2 ( E ‡ a ) or the dissociation of the thermodynamically stable [βCD-NH 2 ...
To improve the efficiency of cyclodextrins as carotenoid carriers, the kinetics and thermodynamics of the inclusion complex formation between modified β-cyclodextrin (βCD-NH2) and β-carotene (βCT) were studied using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) at pH 7.4 and theoretical calculations. The observed dissociation rate of the [βCD-NH2/βCT]° inclusion complex is small \((2.59\times 1{0}^{-1} {\text{s}}^{-1}\)), indicating that βCD-NH2 only interacted with the βCT ionone group to form inclusion complex. The βCD-NH2/βCT binding constant is \(2.80\times 1{0}^{4} \text{L} {\text{m}\text{o}\text{l}}^{-1}\) (at 298.15 K), and its temperature dependence indicates that the [βCD-NH2/βCT]° formation is driven by hydrophobic interactions (\({\Delta }H^\circ = 28.83 \text{k}\text{J} \text{m}\text{o}{\text{l}}^{-1}\) and \(T{\Delta }S^\circ = 54.21 \text{k}\text{J} \text{m}\text{o}{\text{l}}^{-1}\)) caused mainly by the βCT end group desolvation. In contrast, the formation of the [βCD-NH2/βCT]‡ activated complex via association between free molecules and dissociation of [βCD-NH2/βCT]° occurred with the overcoming of an energy barrier (\(E_{a}^{\ddag } = 40.77~{\text{kJ mol}}^{{ - 1}} ~\) and \({E}_{d}^{\ddag}=11.94 \text{k}\text{J} \text{m}\text{o}{\text{l}}^{-1}\)) and decrease in entropy (\(T{\varDelta S}_{a}^{\ddag}=-11.70 \text{k}\text{J} \text{m}\text{o}{\text{l}}^{-1}\) and \(T{\varDelta S}_{d}^{\ddag}=- 65.92 \text{k}\text{J} \text{m}\text{o}{\text{l}}^{-1}\)).
... If drastic steps are not taken now, there is a risk that the SDGs generally may not come to fruition because most African countries are lagging in actualizing some of the goals. According to estimates from the FAO, one in every four individuals in Sub-Saharan Africa is undernourished [1,2], while the prevalence of iron deficiency in women and vitamin A deficiency in young infants are both highest in this region [3][4][5]. ...
Fish is a key component of Nigeria's protein supply, making up about 40% of the nation's protein intake and considerably aiding in the achievement of the second Sustainable Development Goal of feeding the expanding population. Despite its importance, Nigeria's fish production and supply cannot keep up with demand. While total fish output has increased from 1,073,059 tonnes in 2014 to 1,169,000 tonnes in 2018 and is expected to reach 1,275,000 tonnes by 2030, there is a great supply gap. Fish production not only affects food security but also the national economy and employment. Notwithstanding, the fisheries sub-sector suffers several difficulties, such as poor management, a deficient fisheries policy, overfishing, diminishing catch, and a lack of technical know-how among fish growers and fishermen. Thus, exploring untapped aquaculture potential and managing small-scale fisheries effectively are necessary to close the gap between the demand for and supply of fish. The fish output situation can be improved by enforcing fisheries policy and regulations, increasing investments in ethical fisheries and aquaculture, and providing sufficient training for fish farmers and fisherfolk. To reduce waste associated with the limited number of fish now produced, post-harvest losses must 501 AIMS Agriculture and Food Volume 9, Issue 2, 500-530. also be addressed. By solving these issues and putting in place the necessary actions, Nigeria can increase its fish production, strengthen its food security, and accomplish the sustainable development goals in its evolving blue economy.
... Undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies remain critical challenges in many developing countries where the most affected are smallholder farmers (Kramer & Allen, 2015;Sibhatu & Qaim, 2018a, 2018b. They are identified as serious global public health problems and recognized as major underlying causes for maternal and child morbidity, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (UNICEF, 1998;Black et al., 2008;Caulfield et al., 2004;Desalegn et al., 2018;Müller & Krawinkel, 2005;Stevens et al., 2015). These problems are particularly severe in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries where smallholder-based agriculture is the mainstay of rural livelihood (IFPRI, 2017;Sibhatu & Qaim, 2018a, 2018b. ...
Tackling nutrition insecurity remains a critical challenge in developing countries. In the predominantly rain-fed and smallholder-based farming systems of Ethiopia, production diversity and livelihood strategies of the farm households vary across geographic areas. However, the effects of household socioeconomic characteristics, production diversity, and household incomes on nutrition profiles in distinct settings have been inadequately understood. Therefore, this study was undertaken to examine the association of farming system type, sources of income, and household wealth status with household nutrition profiles in three remote locations such as Mennisa, Welmel Tiqa, and Agam Wuha that represent root crops-based farming, maize-based semi-pastoral farming, and teff-based cereal farming systems, respectively. A combination of qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques was employed. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select a total of 265 smallholder households for the structured survey interviews. Standard statistical tests and Tobit regression analyses were performed after determining the wealth category of each household. Results revealed a diversity of income sources used by each of the farm households with average values of 9 in Mennisa, 10 in Agam Wuha, and 11 in Welmel Tiqa, with the contributions of each income source varying by household wealth category and location. As expected, expenditures on food significantly exceeded those on non-food categories for poor households and vice versa for rich wealth households. The average total food variety score (FVS) for Welmel Tiqa was twice that for Agam Wuha, confirming the need for site-specific nutrition profile assessments. Despite the observed differences in household nutrition profiles among wealth categories and locations, the apparent intakes of vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and calcium were consistently below the population-level estimated average requirements across all locations. The number of adequately consumed nutrients by farm households was negatively associated with family size, age of household heads, livestock holdings, wealth categories, and irrigation use, and positively associated with crop production diversity, income diversity, and FVS. The negative association between irrigation use and nutrition security was likely due to the focus on producing crops with a high market value on land under irrigation, coupled with ineffective allocation of generated income for enhancing household nutritional outcomes. Therefore, programs that include irrigated agriculture investments should consider adopting a more integrated nutrition-sensitive interventions, including consideration of locally adapted nutritious crops, such as orange-flesh sweet potato, to address critical deficiency of Vitamin A, nutrition training coupled with development of recipes and cooking demonstrations, and marketing and promotion for nutritious crops.
