Abstract
A national cross-sectional survey was conducted to estimate the prevalence of anaemia, micronutrient deficiencies, haemoglobin disorders and over- and undernutrition in children and women of reproductive age in Oman. Wasting and stunting were found in 9.3% and 11.4% of children aged 0–59 months, respectively, while 4.2% were overweight or obese. In addition, 23.8% were anaemic and 10.2%, 9.5% and 10.6% had iron, vitamin A and vitamin D deficiencies, respectively. Sickle cell and β-thalassaemia genetic traits were present in 5.3% and 4.2% of children and 4.7% and 2.8% of women, respectively. Overall, 9.1% of Omani women were underweight and 59.2% were overweight or obese. The prevalence of anaemia was 27.8%, while iron, folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin D deficiencies affected 24.8%, 11.6%, 8.9% and 16.2%, respectively. Anaemia among both children and women and the prevalence of overweight and obesity in women are the most concerning nutritional problems in Oman.
Publication Date
6-28-2020
First Page
e151
Last Page
164
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Petry, Nicolai; Al-Maamary, Salima A.; Woodruff, Bradley A.; Alghannami, Samia; Al-Shammakhi, Saleh M.; Al-Ghammari, Ibtesam K.; Tyler, Vilma; Rohner, Fabian; and Wirth, James P.
(2020)
"National Prevalence of Micronutrient Deficiencies, Anaemia, Genetic Blood Disorders and Over- and Undernutrition in Omani Women of Reproductive Age and Preschool Children,"
Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal: Vol. 20: e151-164.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18295/squmj.2020.20.02.005
