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. 2023 Aug 11;13:04084. doi: 10.7189/jogh.13.04084

Table 1.

The estimated prevalence and number of cases of vitamin A deficiency (VAD) among children residing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in 2019, by age group

Region 0-5 years
6-12 years
13-18 years
0-18 years

Prevalence (%)
Cases (million)
Prevalence (%)
Cases (million)
Prevalence (%)
Cases (million)
Prevalence (%)
Cases (million)
LMIC overall
19.53 (15.03-24.91)
146.68 (112.9-187.06)
14.18 (10.70-18.51)
119.10 (89.83-155.44)
10.09 (7.44-13.50)
68.17 (50.27-91.25)
14.73 (11.16-19.14)
333.95 (253.00-433.74)
Development region








High-middle SDI
7.00 (4.27-11.27)
4.00 (2.44-6.44)
4.95 (3.00-8.10)
3.32 (2.01-5.43)
3.47 (2.08-5.75)
1.83 (1.10-3.04)
5.17 (3.14-8.43)
9.15 (5.55-14.91)
Middle SDI
10.99 (7.76-15.37)
28.29 (19.96-39.55)
7.85 (5.48-11.15)
22.95 (16.00-32.59)
5.50 (3.78-7.95)
13.18 (9.06-19.04)
8.16 (5.71-11.55)
64.43 (45.03-91.18)
Low-middle SDI
19.50 (15.65-24.05)
52.18 (41.88-64.36)
14.17 (11.21-17.77)
43.80 (34.65-54.94)
10.12 (7.85-12.96)
25.99 (20.16-33.28)
14.63 (11.60-18.30)
121.97 (96.69-152.57)
Low SDI
36.87 (28.82-45.46)
62.29 (48.69-76.80)
28.63 (21.70-36.48)
49.09 (37.22-62.56)
21.49 (15.78-28.38)
27.21 (19.98-35.94)
29.67 (22.67-37.53)
138.59 (105.89-175.30)
WHO region








AFR
30.59 (23.99-37.83)
61.92 (48.56-76.59)
23.43 (17.88-29.86)
47.70 (36.40-60.80)
17.55 (13.00-23.14)
25.42 (18.82-33.51)
24.51 (18.84-31.02)
135.03 (103.78-170.89)
AMR
12.28 (9.10-16.42)
7.65 (5.67-10.22)
8.82 (6.45-11.98)
6.43 (4.71-8.73)
6.23 (4.48-8.61)
3.99 (2.87-5.51)
9.07 (6.65-12.28)
18.07 (13.24-24.47)
EMR
22.07 (17.15-27.72)
22.40 (17.41-28.13)
16.73 (12.70-21.50)
17.65 (13.41-22.69)
12.45 (9.22-16.44)
9.90 (7.32-13.07)
17.43 (13.31-22.3)
49.94 (38.14-63.89)
EUR
8.04 (5.20-12.38)
3.81 (2.46-5.86)
5.60 (3.56-8.81)
3.07 (1.95-4.83)
3.85 (2.41-6.19)
1.62 (1.01-2.59)
5.89 (3.76-9.22)
8.49 (5.43-13.28)
SEAR
17.62 (13.85-22.19)
35.89 (28.21-45.22)
12.83 (9.96-16.41)
31.78 (24.67-40.65)
9.22 (7.04-12.02)
20.10 (15.34-26.20)
13.11 (10.19-16.74)
87.77 (68.22-112.07)
WPR 11.29 (7.97-15.79) 15.10 (10.67-21.12) 8.07 (5.63-11.47) 12.53 (8.74-17.81) 5.65 (3.88-8.18) 7.19 (4.94-10.42) 8.36 (5.85-11.85) 34.82 (24.35-49.34)

VAD – vitamin A deficiency, LMICs – low- and middle-income countries, SDI – socio-demographic index, WHO – The World Health Organization, AFR – African Region, AMR – Region of the Americas, SEAR – South-East Asia Region, EUR – European Region, EMR – Eastern Mediterranean Region, WPR – Western Pacific Region