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Review
. 2017 Mar 3;9(3):229.
doi: 10.3390/nu9030229.

The Prevalence of Micronutrient Deficiencies and Inadequacies in the Middle East and Approaches to Interventions

Nahla Hwalla  1 , Ayesha Salem Al Dhaheri  2 , Hadia Radwan  3 , Hanan Abdullah Alfawaz  4 , Mona A Fouda  5 , Nasser Mohammed Al-Daghri  6 , Sahar Zaghloul  7 , Jeffrey B Blumberg  8
Affiliations
Review

The Prevalence of Micronutrient Deficiencies and Inadequacies in the Middle East and Approaches to Interventions

Nahla Hwalla et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Micronutrient deficiencies and inadequacies constitute a global health issue, particularly among countries in the Middle East. The objective of this review is to identify micronutrient deficits in the Middle East and to consider current and new approaches to address this problem. Based on the availability of more recent data, this review is primarily focused on countries that are in advanced nutrition transition. Prominent deficits in folate, iron, and vitamin D are noted among children/adolescents, women of childbearing age, pregnant women, and the elderly. Reports indicate that food fortification in the region is sporadic and ineffective, and the use of dietary supplements is low. Nutrition monitoring in the region is limited, and gaps in relevant information present challenges for implementing new policies and approaches to address the problem. Government-sponsored initiatives are necessary to assess current dietary intakes/patterns, support nutrition education, and to reduce food insecurity, especially among vulnerable population groups. Public-private partnerships should be considered in targeting micronutrient fortification programs and supplementation recommendations as approaches to help alleviate the burden of micronutrient deficiencies and inadequacies in the Middle East.

Keywords: Middle East; deficiency; dietary supplementation; food  fortification; inadequacy; micronutrient.

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Conflict of interest statement

Each author received travel expenses and an honorarium for participating in the workshop, “Middle East Dietary Supplements—Expert Discussion” sponsored by Pfizer Consumer Health, in the Middle East, held on 25–26 March 2016, in Dubai, UAE.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency (serum 25(OH)D < 50 nmol/L) in the Middle East by age and gender (Sources: KSA [11,24,40,48]; UAE [20,30]; Lebanon [18,34]; Egypt [19,26,27,44]).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Prevalence of anemia in the Middle East by age and gender. (Sources: KSA [60,67,83,86,88]; UAE [63,82]; Lebanon [85]; Egypt [61,72,89]).
Figure 3
Figure 3
The cycle of micronutrient inadequacies across the life span [7]. Reproduced from Bailey, R.L. et al., with permission from S. Karger AG, Basel.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Urinary iodine concentrations in the 2015 Iodine Global Network Scorecard [118].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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