Hyderabad: Sub-clinical vitamin deficiencies in children and pregnant woman is alarmingly high in Hyderabad. Most of the time they don’t know they have these deficiencies.
A study on 270 people from Hyderabad found that 50 per cent of people had deficiency of vitamin B2 followed by Vitamin B6.
This is because intake of fruits and vegetable has dipped drastically. The main reason for micronutrient deficiency is because of changes in food habits of people, nutritionists said.
India has the highest number of malnourished people and child malnutrition rate is unacceptably high, shows a research on micronutrient malnutrition.
According to research published in the journal Nutrition, 50 per cent of the people who were studied in Hyderabad have deficiency of vitamin B2, followed by Vitamin B6.
Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcys) was also widely prevalent (52 per cent) in the subjects. High levels of it are linked to early development of heart disease.
Riboflavin is a vitamin that is needed for growth and overall health. It helps the body break down carbohydrates, proteins and fats to produce energy, and allows oxygen to be used by the body.
Several months of riboflavin deprivation leads to symptoms like cracks in skin at the corners of the mouth, fissure in the lips and an inflamed, magenta-coloured tongue.
Incidents of sub-clinical vitamin and micronutrient deficiency has seen a rise lately. The main reason is because of changes in food habits of people. The micronutrient deficiency, mainly iron deficiency, is observed mainly in pregnant woman, teenagers and children.
Nutritionist Sujatha Stephen said the cause of micronutrient deficiency was non-consumption of food items which contain protein, vitamins and carbohydrates. Intake of fruits and vegetable has decreased drastically, she said.
“We recommend B-complex tablets to compensate the deficiency. Our diet is mostly dependent on vegetarian fare, but for milk and eggs. There is a lot of processed food we consume on a daily basis. Vitamin B is mostly to be found in non-vegetarian food, milk, eggs and pulses like beans, lentils and peas. Intake of pulses has decreased. They’re a cheap, low-fat source of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals, and count towards your recommended five daily portions of fruit and vegetables,” she said.
According to the World Health Organisation, micronutrients are needed only in very small amounts, but these are the “magic wands” that enable the body to produce enzymes, hormones and other substances essential for proper growth and development. Iodine, vitamin A and iron are most important. Their absence can be bad for children and pregnant women in low-income countries. Humans require less than 100 mg of micronutrients every day.
Nutritionist Fatima said Vitamin B1 deficiency was the most common in pregnant women and children and causes Beri Beri and Wernick Korsakoff syndrome. Beri Beri affects breathing, eye movement, heart function and alertness. It also induces mental problems, including confusion and short-term memory loss, she said.
Acute beri beri is mostly found in babies and presents with loss of appetite, vomiting, lactic acidosis, changes in heart rate and enlargement of the heart.
Vitamin B2 has two types of deficiencies, Ms Fatima explained. Primary riboflavin deficiency happens when a person’s diet is poor in Vitamin B2. Secondary Riboflavin deficiency occurs because intestines cannot absorb the vitamin properly or the body cannot use it. It is known as ariboflavinosis, which is uncommon, she said.
