B12 deficiency in kids an overlooked issue

London, May 4

Advertisement

Vitamin B12 deficiency in infants leads to poor motor development and anaemia, according to a study which stated that its deficiency is an enormous yet overlooked problem.

For many years, there has been a focus on vitamin A, zinc and iron deficiencies when it comes to malnutrition across the globe, whereas there is a paucity of research on B12 deficiency.

A lack of vitamin B12 doesn’t just potentially lead to anaemia, it can damage the nervous system. And for young children, B12 is crucial for brain development.

A team from University of Copenhagen and Doctors Without Borders conducted a study among 1,000 children with acute malnutrition aged 6-23 months in Africa’s Burkina Faso. The results showed a strong correlation between vitamin B12 deficiency and poor motor development and anaemia.

“A child’s gut can only absorb 1 microgram of B12 per meal. So, if a child is lacking 500 micrograms, it will take much longer than the few weeks that they have access to emergency food relief,” explained Vibeke Brix Christensen, paediatrician and medical advisor with Doctors Without Borders. IANS