A study on Vitamin A intake by children by the Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) study calls for a revision of national policy on the use of Vitamin A supplements. The study found that the existing policy, the Vitamin A supplementation (VAS) programme, poses a risk of excess intake leading to hypervitaminosis. The study calls for a targeted state-based Vitamin A supplementation programme. The study was carried out by researchers from the NIN, Hyderabad, St John’s Research Institute, Bengaluru, Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research, New Delhi. The results from the study were also published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The study noted that nationally the number of Vitamin A deficiency cases among children aged below five years of age is less than 20%, the threshold that defines a serious public health problem. In a statement to the press, the NIN Director Dr R Hemalatha said, "The study draws on the sample of the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) which was conducted in 30 states during 2016-18. The survey showed that VAD (Vitamin A deficiency) based on serum retinol levels was 15.7% among 1 to 5-year-old children across the country, certainly less than the 20% mark that defines a serious public health problem."
The study states that dietary adequacy of Vitamin A must be assessed, observing that an estimated average requirement (EAR) of 198 micrograms per day for boys and 191 micrograms per day for girls is required. “It is high time the mega dose of vitamin A is revised and a targeted state-based vitamin A supplementation programme was taken up, unlike the nationwide program that is currently the norm in India.” said the scientists in their study.
Dr Bhanuprakash Reddy, the senior scientist who led the study said, “In addition to CNNS data, we also evaluated dietary vitamin A data of the National Samples Survey Office (NSSO) and the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB). When dietary intake, food fortification and Vitamin A supplementation are factored in, there indeed is a risk of exceeding the upper limit of intake of Vitamin A in a proportion of children particularly from higher socioeconomic status,”