2. What is Micronutrient Deficiencies?
• Micronutrient deficiency (MND) is a lack of essential
vitamins and minerals required in small amounts by
the body for proper growth and development
• The five common micronutrient deficiency includes:
– vitamin A
– Iodine
– Iron
– Zinc
– Folate
3. Why are they Important?
• It contribute significantly to high rates of
morbidity and mortality among infants,
children, and mothers in developing countries
• Deficiencies in vitamin A &D, iron, iodine and
zinc exacerbate the disease burden resulting
in multiple health implications and higher
mortality
4. Why are they important cont.
• It leads to multiple significant consequences,
such as death during childbirth, mental
retardation, blindness, lower educational
attainment, decreased work capacity and
earning potential
• The cycle of MNDs perpetuates across the
generations, with far-reaching consequences
on the future population
5. What are the causes of MNDs?
• Poverty is the basic cause of MNDs
• Food insecurity
• Inadequate care or feeding practices
• Unhealthy environment with inadequate
access to health service
7. The impact of Common Five
Deficiencies
• Vitamin A Deficiency:
– This is the leading cause of
blindness worldwide and
also impairs immune
function and cell
differentiation
• Nearly 800,000 deaths among
women and children
worldwide can be attributed
to VAD
• 20% of maternal deaths
worldwide can be attributed
to VAD
8. The impact of Common Five
Deficiencies
• Iron Deficiencies:
– the most common
MND worldwide and
leads to microcytic
anemia, decreased
capacity for work, as
well as impaired
immune and
endocrine function
• It contributes to
18.4% of total
maternal deaths and
23.5% of perinatal
deaths globally
9. The impact of Common Five
Deficiencies Cont.
• Iodine Deficiencies:
– It results in goiter, mental retardation, or reduced
cognitive function abortion, and still birth
• 28.5% of people are iodine deficient
10. The impact of Common Five Deficiencies
• Zinc Deficiencies:
– Adequate zinc is necessary for optimal immune
function, and deficiency is associated with an
increased incidence of diarrhea and acute
respiratory infections, major causes of death in
those younger 5 years of age
– The estimated global prevalence of zinc deficiency
is 31%
11. The impact of Common Five Deficiencies
• Folate Deficiency:
– Folate is essential for
DNA synthesis and
repair, and deficiency
results in macrocytic
anemia, neural tube
defects
– It affects up to 5
babies per 1000 live
births worldwide (95%
of pregnancy)
13. Situation in India
• Nearly half of the world’s MND population is
found in India
14. Situation in India cont.
• India has the largest
number of vitamin A
deficient (VAD) children
in the world
– Nearly 62% of
preschool-age children
are VAD
• About 84% of them are
not even meeting 50%
of their RDA
(recommended dietary
allowance)
15. Situation in Nigeria
• Nigeria is the country with the 3rd highest
number of stunted children
• 1/3 of preschool aged children are VAD
• Diarrheal diseases kill more than 200,000
Nigerian children under the age of 5 every
year
16. Situation in Nigeria cont.
• Current rates of iron
deficiency among
preschool aged
children and pregnant
women are 76% and
67%
• Two in every three
pregnant woman are
anemic caused from
iron and folate
deficiencies
17. Strategies and Interventions
• Several options
– Supplementation
– Fortification
– Food-based approaches
• Dietary diversification
• Choice is determined depends on the cause,
severity and scope of MND
• Supplementation is generally for severe case
(Ex: India, Nigeria)
18. Activities to reduce MNDs
• Micronutrient Initiative (MI)
– Organization working to eliminate MNDs
– Work with national program
19. Activities to reduce MNDs Cont.
• Healthier Rice Activity
• The international Rice
Research Institute have
been developing
healthier rice varieties
with more iron, zinc, and
beta carotene (a source
of vitamin A) to help
reduce MND
• Video Link
– https://vimeo.com/8127
6031
20. • Eslick, G., & Selbst, S. (2010). Nutritional Deficiencies in the Developing
World: Current Status and Opportunities for Intervention. In pediatric
chest pain. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders
• Akhtar, S. (2013). Micronutrient Deficiencies in South Asia—Current status
and strategies. In Trends in food science & technology. Kidlington, Oxford,
UK: Elsevier Science
• Regan, B., Keith, W., & Robert, B. (2015). Annals of Nutrition and
Metabolism (Vol.66, pp. 22-33). Federation of European Nutrition
Societies, Karger
• Granato, H. (2014). A World Without Hidden Hunger? Supplyside
Boardroom Journal
• Home – Micronutrient Initiative. (n.d.). Retrieved June 23, 2015, from
http://micronutrient.org
• Nutrition at a Glance. (n.d.). From
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/NUTRITION/Resources/281846-
1271963823772/nigeria.pdf
