Vitamin A Deficiency, Iron Deficiency, and Anemia Among Preschool Children in the Republic of the Marshall Islands

In many developing countries worldwide, young children are at a high risk of vitamin A deficiency and iron deficiency. Vitamin A deficiency affects an estimated 253 million preschool children worldwide.1 The consequences of vitamin A deficiency include growth failure, depressed immunity, higher risk of xerophthalmia and blindness, anemia, and increased morbidity and mortality from some infectious diseases.1-3 Iron deficiency is a major problem among preschool children worldwide, and consequences of iron deficiency include retarded psychomotor development, impaired cognitive function, and anemia.