[Vitamin A deficiency and actions for its prevention and control in Latin America and the Caribbean, 1994].

Since the 1970s, the prevalence of protein-energy malnutrition has declined in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. However, micronutrient deficiencies, especially of iodine, iron, and vitamin A, have not diminished to the same extent. Based on clinical criteria, vitamin A deficiency continues to be a public health problem in Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, and Nicaragua. This deficiency is also common in poor communities in Bolivia, in some parts of Mexico and Peru, and among indigenous groups in Panama. Trends in general health and nutrition indicators in Colombia, Cuba, Guyana, Paraguay, and Venezuela suggest the need to update information on vitamin A deficiency in those countries. At the close of the 1980s, increasing interest was manifested in reducing vitamin A deficiency in the Region of the Americas; this interest has led to epidemiologic studies, national and regional meetings, and the implementation of plans and interventions at the local, national, and regional levels. In the medium and long term, a permanent solution to the problem of vitamin A deficiency can be attained through sustained economic and social development, accompanied by specific actions to diversify diets in order to increase consumption of foods rich in vitamin A, fortification of popular foods, and nutritional education. In the short term, temporary measures--such as periodic administration of vitamin A supplements to high-risk groups--can be applied.