VITAMIN DEFICIENCIES AS CAUSES OF DEATH IN BRAZIL: A NEGLECTED EXPRESSION OF NUTRITIONAL VULNERABILITIES, 2010–2024

Abstract

Objective: To analyze mortality due to vitamin deficiencies in Brazil by five-year trends, sociodemographic profile, place of death, and territorial distribution from 2010 to 2024. Methods: Descriptive ecological study using Mortality Information System data. Deaths of residents whose underlying cause was classified under ICD-10 codes E50–E56 were grouped into 2010–2014, 2015–2019, and 2020–2024. Frequencies, proportions, ratios, and percentage changes were calculated. Results: A total of 940 deaths were recorded. The number increased from 231 to 424 between the first and third periods (83.55%), accelerating in the most recent period. Men accounted for 75.94% of deaths in 2020–2024, when the male-to-female ratio reached 3.16. People aged 60 years or older represented 54.72% of deaths. The Southeast recorded 156 deaths in the last period, followed by the Northeast with 121 and the South with 87. São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul, Bahia, and Paraná jointly accounted for 55.66% of occurrences. Conclusion: The growth in absolute burden, aging profile, and territorial heterogeneity reveal rare but relevant sentinel events, requiring nutritional surveillance, timely diagnosis, integrated care, and continuous improvement of mortality information.