Micronutrient Deficiencies in Pre-school Age Children and Women of Reproductive Age in Jordan
James P. Wirth *
GroundWork LLC, Crans-près-Céligny, Switzerland.
Nichols Erin
Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Ibrahim Khatib
Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
Hanan Masa'd
Nutrition Division, Department of Non-Communicable Disease, Ministry of Health, Amman, Jordan.
Rawhieh Barham
Nutrition Division, Department of Non-Communicable Disease, Ministry of Health, Amman, Jordan.
Nancy Aburto
Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Svenja Jungjohann
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Geneva, Switzerland.
Kevin Sullivan
Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Mary Serdula
Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Objectives: Jordan's 2010 National Micronutrient Survey assessed the prevalence and severity of anemia and micronutrient deficiencies in Jordanian women and children.
Methods: A stratified multistage cluster sampling was used to establish a nationally representative household-based sample of Jordanian children (12 - 59 months) and non-pregnant women of reproductive age (15-49 years). Weighted descriptive statistics were used to calculate national prevalence and multivariate analyses were undertaken for the determination of risk factors of vitamin D deficiency
Results: Anemia in children (hemoglobin < 110g/L) and women (hemoglobin < 120g/L) was a mild (17.0%) and moderate (30.6%) public health problem, respectively. Vitamin A deficiency (serum retinol < 0.70 umol/L) was prevalent in 18.3% of children and 4.8% of women. Vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D3 < 11.0 ng/mL and < 12.0 ng/mL in children and women, respectively) was prevalent in 19.8% of children and 60.3% of women. Vitamin D deficiency was significantly more likely in women who routinely cover themselves with a scarf compared to those women who do not cover. In urban areas, children whose mothers were vitamin D deficient were more likely to be vitamin D deficient than children whose mothers were not deficient.
Conclusions: With the exception of vitamin A, a higher burden of micronutrient deficiencies is seen in Jordanian women than children. Vitamin D deficiency in women is the most prevalent micronutrient deficiency in Jordan with approximately 3 out of 5 women being deficient.