Vitamin A Lower Mortality Rate

The results of a study already mentioned that children in low-income and developing countries should be given vitamin A supplements to prevent deaths and other illnesses. Vitamin A is an essential nutrient that must be obtained through food. Vitamin A deficiency in children can increase susceptibility to infections such as diarrhea and measles and blindness.

A team of researchers based in Britain and Pakistan to analyze the results of 43 vitamin A supplementation trials involving more than 200 thousand children aged 6 months to 5 years.

They found vitamin A supplements reduce child mortality by 24 percent in low-income and developing countries. It also may reduce mortality and disability by preventing measles, diarrhea, and vision problems, including blindness.

The authors say that if the risk of death for 190 million children are deficient in vitamin A was reduced 24 percent, more than 600 thousand lives will be saved each year and 20 million disability will be reduced. "Evidence of vitamin A is interesting and clearly further trials to compare the vitamin A and placebo there would be no benefit," they said. This study has been published in the August 2011 issue of the BMJ.

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