Vitamin A deficiency: eye manifestations, knowledge, and nutritional assessment among Khalwa (Quran boarding school) individuals, Khartoum state, Sudan, 2023: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is highly prevalent in developing countries, especially among malnourished children, with complications like blindness and deaths occurring in about half of those deficient in vitamin A. In Sudan, Quranic schools (Khalwa) have a large number of students, many of whom receive poor nutritional support. This study aims to highlight VAD prevalence and knowledge and to assess the associated dietary habits among this community. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that used cluster random sampling and was conducted in a district of Khartoum state, with 332 participants included. Data were collected by a self-structured questionnaire, presented using descriptive statistics, and analyzed by SPSS v26. Results: Almost half of the students in this study are between the ages of 6 and 17 years. Most of their fathers were farmers, and the average daily income was low. Only 30.1% reported eating at least three types of food, with an overall lack of knowledge about vitamin A. Fifty-five (16.5%) had night blindness, of which 30 had conjunctival xerosis, 20 had Bitot's spots, and 7 had conjunctival congestion. Eighty (24.1%) and 65 (19.6%) students had respiratory disease and diarrhea in the last two weeks, respectively. Local data show almost the same prevalence of night blindness in this group. Conclusion: Poor vitamin A knowledge and poor dietary habits are common among the residents of Quran-boarding-schools, with about one-sixth of them having night blindness. This necessitates health education and nutritional support for this community.