Which Individuals Are at Risk for Developing a Vitamin A Deficiency?

November 14, 2025 •

3 min read

Worldwide, vitamin A deficiency is a significant public health problem, affecting over half of all countries, particularly impacting young children and pregnant women in low-income nations. While rarely an issue of dietary insufficiency in developed nations, specific medical conditions and lifestyle factors place some individuals at risk for developing a vitamin A deficiency.

Quick Summary

Identifying individuals susceptible to a vitamin A deficiency is crucial for prevention. High-risk factors include geography, age, specific medical conditions, and lifestyle choices.

Key Points

High-Risk Geographic Areas: Infants, children, pregnant, and lactating women in low-income regions of Africa and Southeast Asia face the highest risk of vitamin A deficiency due to dietary inadequacy.
Malabsorption Disorders: Conditions like cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, and Crohn's disease can prevent proper vitamin A absorption, leading to deficiency even with adequate dietary intake.
Alcoholism and Liver Disease: Chronic alcohol abuse and liver damage impair the liver's ability to store and process vitamin A, making individuals with these issues susceptible.
Increased Physiological Needs: Pregnant and breastfeeding women have significantly higher vitamin A requirements to support both their own health and fetal or infant development.
Restrictive Diets: Vegans and those with severe malnutrition are at a higher risk if their diets do not contain sufficient vitamin A or its plant-based precursor, beta-carotene.
Frequent Infections: In high-risk regions, high rates of infections, particularly measles and chronic diarrhea, can exacerbate deficiency by depleting nutrient stores.

Populations in High-Risk Geographic Regions

The highest global prevalence of vitamin A deficiency occurs in low- and middle-income countries, predominantly in Africa and Southeast Asia. In these regions, the primary cause is a diet lacking in vitamin A-rich foods, often due to limited food access and dependence on staple crops like rice that contain no beta-carotene.

Infants and Young Children: As infants grow, their vitamin A requirements increase. Children under five, especially those in developing countries, are at particularly high risk. This risk is compounded by factors like malnutrition and frequent infections, such as diarrhea and measles, which deplete the body's vitamin A stores. In fact, vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children worldwide.
Pregnant and Lactating Women: These women have increased vitamin A demands for fetal growth, tissue maintenance, and milk production to nourish their newborns. If their intake does not meet this heightened requirement, they and their exclusively breastfed infants can become deficient.

Individuals with Malabsorption Disorders

For those in developed countries, vitamin A deficiency is typically linked to a problem with nutrient absorption rather than diet alone. Because vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, any condition that interferes with fat digestion or absorption can lead to deficiency. These conditions include:

Cystic fibrosis
Celiac disease and sprue
Crohn's disease and other inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD)
Chronic diarrhea
Pancreatic insufficiency, which can result from chronic pancreatitis or alcoholism
Bariatric or small-bowel bypass surgery

Chronic Alcoholism and Liver Disease

Heavy alcohol consumption and resulting liver damage significantly increase the risk of vitamin A deficiency. The liver is the primary storage site for vitamin A. Chronic alcoholism impairs the liver's ability to store the vitamin effectively and affects its metabolism. Additionally, the enzyme responsible for converting retinol to its active form can be compromised in individuals with chronic alcohol abuse.

Restrictive Diets and Socioeconomic Factors

Several lifestyle and socioeconomic factors can influence a person's risk:

Vegan Diets: While a well-planned vegan diet can provide sufficient beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A), individuals whose diets are primarily reliant on grains and lack variety may not consume enough plant-based sources to meet their needs, especially young children.
Poverty: Low socioeconomic status in developing and even developed countries can limit access to diverse, nutrient-rich foods, increasing the risk, particularly among vulnerable groups like children and pregnant women.
Severe Malnutrition: Protein-energy malnutrition often accompanies vitamin A deficiency. A protein deficiency can suppress the synthesis of retinol-binding protein, which is necessary for transporting vitamin A throughout the body.

Comparative Risk Factors: Developed vs. Developing Nations


Feature	Developing Nations	Developed Nations
Primary Cause	Inadequate dietary intake	Malabsorption disorders, liver disease, or alcoholism
Most Affected Groups	Infants, young children, pregnant and lactating women	Individuals with underlying health conditions, chronic disease
Associated Factors	Poverty, lack of diverse food, high rates of infection like measles and diarrhea	Bariatric surgery, restrictive diets, poor lifestyle habits
Prevalence	A significant public health concern, especially in Africa and Southeast Asia	Generally rare, though certain clinical populations are at risk
Typical Symptoms	Severe symptoms like xerophthalmia and blindness in children	Less severe symptoms initially, unless due to severe malabsorption

Conclusion: Proactive Identification is Key

While developed nations have largely eliminated widespread vitamin A deficiency through fortified foods and diverse diets, targeted populations remain vulnerable. For infants, pregnant women, and individuals with chronic diseases like cystic fibrosis or liver damage, proactive identification and management are crucial for prevention. Understanding the specific risk factors—whether rooted in geography, genetics, or lifestyle—is the first step toward ensuring adequate vitamin A intake and preventing its severe health consequences. If you believe you or a loved one is at risk, consulting a healthcare provider for diagnosis and dietary advice is recommended. You can find more authoritative information on this public health issue from organizations like the World Health Organization.

Frequently Asked Questions

In developed countries, vitamin A deficiency is primarily caused by malabsorption issues stemming from specific medical conditions such as cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, or chronic liver disease, rather than insufficient dietary intake.

The liver is the body's main storage site for vitamin A. Liver disorders, often linked to chronic alcohol use, can interfere with this storage process and the metabolism of vitamin A, leading to a deficiency even if the diet is adequate.

Yes, vegans can be at a higher risk if their diet lacks a variety of foods rich in beta-carotene, the precursor to vitamin A. This is particularly concerning for young vegan children whose needs for this nutrient are high.

Pregnant women have increased vitamin A requirements to support fetal growth and their own metabolic needs. If their diet is inadequate, both the mother and the developing fetus are at risk.

Yes, especially in regions with high infection rates. Diseases like measles and chronic diarrhea can deplete the body's vitamin A stores, contributing to deficiency.

Socioeconomic status is a major risk factor, particularly in developing countries. Low-income individuals and families often have limited access to and affordability of a diverse diet rich in vitamin A.

The most severe effect is irreversible blindness. Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness among children worldwide, particularly in low-income nations.