Define cause of vitamin a deficiency - Poverty and ignorance?
Low purchasing power of the communities and their consequent inability to meet the nutrient requirements and traditional wrong beliefs and ignorance are also important causes. Low cost p-carotene and iron rich foods like dark green leafy vegetables and fruits like papaya are not given to children and pregnant women due to the belief that consumption of green leafy vegetables leads to diarrhoea in children and papaya when consumed by pregnant women can cause abortions.