Consumption Profile of Preschool Children Supplemented with β-Carotene through Red Palm Oil in a Rural Community in Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Vitamin A deficiency is a major nutritional deficiency in third world countries such as Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, Indonesia, India and Nepal. It is prevalent in many Indian States such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar and West Bengal. It is the result of insufficient - quantitative and/or qualitative - intake of food and therefore, is an example for social and economic deprivation affecting health. The most dangerous health consequence of vitamin A deficiency is blindness: deficiency affects the corneal epithelium leading ultimately to keratomalacia and opacities. But long before such manifestation become obvious, there are warning signs such as dryness of the conjunctiva (xerosis), Bitot's spots, etc.