Publication Date: 2023/04/04
Abstract: Folic acid is the most vital micronutrient for the survival of human beings, regardless of age and gender. The need for folic acid and its significance is spoken well and addressed in India, particularly for reproductive women during the preconception period and pregnant mothers. The supplementation is taken care of through iron-folic acid under the national programme for other beneficiaries also, i.e., adolescents and under-five children. The current review is done to know the burden of folic acid deficiency across different age groups in India. The prevalence of folic acid deficiency varied from 2% to 79.5%. The higher range of prevalence was observed during adolescence, followed by under-five children. Though folic acid supplementation is ensured during antenatal care, 17.5% to 29.4% of pregnant mothers had folate deficiencies. This indirectly conveys the increased risk for the birth of newborns with neural tube defects. Not only associated with anemia or neural tube defects, folate deficiency results in abnormalities in the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal system, neuro-cognitive abnormalities, visual defects, developmental delay, and cancers. With such a high burden, folic acid deficiency becomes a significant public health problem. Due to dietary variations, most people in the country still need to meet the average folate requirement. Strategies strengthening the nutritional changes and supplementation need to be revised time-to-time appropriately with the difference in the prevalence.
Keywords: Burden, Folic Acid Deficiency, India, Prevalence
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7797185
PDF: https://ijirst.demo4.arinfotech.co/assets/upload/files/IJISRT23MAR1466.pdf
REFERENCES