Vitamin A deficiency in the South Pacific.

UNLABELLED: Vitamin A deficiency is a major cause of morbidity, mortality and blindness among children. Although vitamin A deficiency is known to affect many children in developing countries, the magnitude of the problem in the South Pacific region is unclear.

METHODS

Five cross-sectional surveys for vitamin A deficiency were conducted between 1989 and 1992 in the Republic of Kiribati, Tuvalu, the Republic of Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and the Cook Islands.

RESULTS

In total, 10,673 children between the ages of 6 and 72 months were examined for clinical signs of vitamin A deficiency (nightblindness and xerophthalmia). The prevalence of xerophthalmia was 14.76% in the Republic of Kiribati, 1.55% in Solomon Islands, 0.59% in the Cook Islands, 0.28% in Tuvalu, and 0.11% in Vanuatu. The most common clinical findings were Bitot's spots followed by nightblindness. Xerophthalmia were more common among boys (Kiribati P < 0.001, Solomon Islands P = 0.03) and tended to occur in older preschool children (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

These studies suggest that vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in the Republic of Kiribati and Solomon Islands.