OBJECTIVE: To critically review the literature regarding vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in Brazil, according to biochemical indicators, considering that VAD has a negative impact upon reproductive health and child development. DATA SOURCE: Medline and BVS databases were searched from 1994 to 2007, using the combination of the following terms: "vitamin A deficiency", "Brazil", "pregnant", "children" and "retinol serum level". Inclusion criteria were based on characteristics of the studied population, study design and language, with emphasis on studies with the following subjects: pregnant, postpartum and nursing women, infants and preschool children without chronic or infectious diseases. DATA SYNTHESIS: Among the 27 selected studies, 25 were cross-sectional, one was a case-control, and one was a cohort study. 71% and 25% of the studies with pregnant women and with children, respectively, adopted retinol serum level <1.05µmol/L as the cut-off value for VAD. All the studies pointed VAD as a health problem of major concern. The need of including adolescents as a risk group of VAD is recognized. Anthropometry should be considered as an independent variable for this nutritional deficiency. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this review show the need of aditional intervention strategies regarding supplementation of vitamin A. VAD should be secuched not only in risk areas, but throughout the country, in several potential risk groups. It is important to reevaluate cut-off points in order to better diagnose vitamin A deficiency.
vitamin A deficiency; epidemiology; nutrition; indicators
