Severe drought and the vitamin A status of rural pre-school children in India

A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in six drought-affected areas of India in 2003 to assess the impact of drought on the vitamin A status of 3,657 rural pre-school children. The prevalence of Bitot's spots was found to be significantly (p < 0.01) higher (1.8 per cent) during drought (odds ratio (OR) = 2.0; 95 per cent confidence interval: 1.6 -2.7). The dietary intake of vitamin A was lower during drought and in 81 per cent of households it was less than 50 per cent of the recommended rate. Severe drought has an adverse impact on the vitamin A status of rural pre-school children, particularly those with illiterate mothers and belonging to an older age group (p < 0.01). Communities need to be sensitised, therefore, to vitamin A deficiency through health and nutrition education, and there needs to be wider coverage of vitamin A supplementation, particularly among children in drought-affected and drought-prone areas.