Vitamin A deficiency causes

NHM UP Staff Nurse-2021 Shift-2nd

Applied Nutrition & Dietetics

Easy

Appeared in: NHM UP Staff Nurse-2021 Shift-2nd

Explanation

Vitamin A is essential for normal vision, particularly in low-light conditions.
It is a precursor to retinal pigments (rhodopsin) in the retina, which are necessary for vision in dim light.
A lack of Vitamin A impairs the production of rhodopsin, leading to night blindness (nyctalopia), which is the earliest sign of deficiency.
Prolonged deficiency can progress to more severe eye conditions like xerophthalmia (dry eyes) and keratomalacia (corneal softening), potentially causing irreversible blindness.

Option A: Beriberi is caused by a deficiency of Thiamine (Vitamin B1), not Vitamin A.
Option B: Anaemia is primarily caused by a deficiency of iron, Vitamin B12, or folate, which are crucial for red blood cell formation.
Option D: Marasmus is a severe form of protein-energy malnutrition, resulting from a deficiency of all macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fats), not just a single vitamin.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Nutritional Deficiencies and Associated Diseases as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a vital role in identifying early signs of nutritional deficiencies. Asking patients about difficulty seeing at night can be a simple screening question for Vitamin A deficiency, especially in at-risk populations like young children and pregnant women in developing countries.
Nutritional counseling is a key nursing intervention. Educating families on affordable, locally available sources of Vitamin A (like green leafy vegetables, carrots, mangoes, and papaya) can prevent blindness.
In India, Vitamin A supplementation programs are a cornerstone of public health. Nurses are often responsible for administering these prophylactic high-dose supplements to children under five during immunization visits.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of specific vitamin deficiencies and their corresponding diseases.
First, identify the key term in the question stem: 'Vitamin A deficiency'.
Next, systematically evaluate each option to see which condition is directly caused by a lack of Vitamin A.
Recall that Vitamin A (retinol) is crucial for vision. This should immediately point you towards 'Night blindness'.
Briefly consider the other options to confirm they are incorrect. Beriberi is linked to Vitamin B1, Anaemia to iron/B12/folate, and Marasmus to overall calorie/protein deficiency.
Select the option that correctly matches the deficiency with its primary clinical manifestation.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Medicine Davidson Principles Practice 24e p. 733-735

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 2 — Subpart A (pp 1-232 of 464) pp. 150-152, 46-48