Iraq Is Moving Forward to Achieve Global Targets in Nutrition

From the 1990s and after 2003, Iraq suffered many difficulties which affected its population negatively in different ways; from embargo to political instabilities, conflicts, and wars, collectively leading to food insecurity especially among the internally displaced people. The Ministry of Health an...

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Main Authors: Hind Khalid Sabeeh, Saadulddin Hussein Ali, Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-02-01
Series:Children
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/2/215
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author Hind Khalid Sabeeh
Saadulddin Hussein Ali
Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh
author_facet Hind Khalid Sabeeh
Saadulddin Hussein Ali
Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh
author_sort Hind Khalid Sabeeh
collection DOAJ
description From the 1990s and after 2003, Iraq suffered many difficulties which affected its population negatively in different ways; from embargo to political instabilities, conflicts, and wars, collectively leading to food insecurity especially among the internally displaced people. The Ministry of Health and International Organizations worked collectively to improve the nutritional situation among the most vulnerable groups: children under five, and women in reproductive age. This study aims to review the nutrition situation for Iraq in relation to the Global Nutrition Targets and for Sustainable Development Goals. The data used for comparison was obtained from nationally representative surveys conducted in Iraq from 1996 to 2018, including urban and rural areas for all 18 governorates. Results of these surveys showed a gradual decline in undernutrition indicators for children under five, and an emergence of overweight and obesity, indicating an urgent need for collective action from all sectors and related Ministries regarding malnutrition in its different forms. It also revealed a decline in the prevalence of anemia among the targeted women, but an increase of low birth weight in newborn infants. Exclusive breastfeeding though, is still staggering and in need of urgent action. Iraq is transferring from a generalized state of insecurity to a more secure one, emphasizing the need to strengthen systems for efficient monitoring and evaluation. There is also a need for more recent surveys representing Iraq, as the available data is scant, particularly dietary intake studies within the normal population and internally displaced families in camps or scattered shelters.
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spelling doaj.art-59ed2228aa0f4352b0693fc2c3b1c0f12023-11-23T19:19:22ZengMDPI AGChildren2227-90672022-02-019221510.3390/children9020215Iraq Is Moving Forward to Achieve Global Targets in NutritionHind Khalid Sabeeh0Saadulddin Hussein Ali1Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh2World Health Organization (WHO), Baghdad 10025, IraqIraqi Ministry of Health, Nutrition Research Institute, Baghdad 10025, IraqRegional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO), World Health Organization (WHO), Cairo 7608, EgyptFrom the 1990s and after 2003, Iraq suffered many difficulties which affected its population negatively in different ways; from embargo to political instabilities, conflicts, and wars, collectively leading to food insecurity especially among the internally displaced people. The Ministry of Health and International Organizations worked collectively to improve the nutritional situation among the most vulnerable groups: children under five, and women in reproductive age. This study aims to review the nutrition situation for Iraq in relation to the Global Nutrition Targets and for Sustainable Development Goals. The data used for comparison was obtained from nationally representative surveys conducted in Iraq from 1996 to 2018, including urban and rural areas for all 18 governorates. Results of these surveys showed a gradual decline in undernutrition indicators for children under five, and an emergence of overweight and obesity, indicating an urgent need for collective action from all sectors and related Ministries regarding malnutrition in its different forms. It also revealed a decline in the prevalence of anemia among the targeted women, but an increase of low birth weight in newborn infants. Exclusive breastfeeding though, is still staggering and in need of urgent action. Iraq is transferring from a generalized state of insecurity to a more secure one, emphasizing the need to strengthen systems for efficient monitoring and evaluation. There is also a need for more recent surveys representing Iraq, as the available data is scant, particularly dietary intake studies within the normal population and internally displaced families in camps or scattered shelters.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/2/215food insecuritymicronutrientindicatorsGlobal Nutrition Targetsexclusive breastfeedinginternally displaced
spellingShingle Hind Khalid Sabeeh
Saadulddin Hussein Ali
Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh
Iraq Is Moving Forward to Achieve Global Targets in Nutrition
Children
food insecurity
micronutrient
indicators
Global Nutrition Targets
exclusive breastfeeding
internally displaced
title Iraq Is Moving Forward to Achieve Global Targets in Nutrition
title_full Iraq Is Moving Forward to Achieve Global Targets in Nutrition
title_fullStr Iraq Is Moving Forward to Achieve Global Targets in Nutrition
title_full_unstemmed Iraq Is Moving Forward to Achieve Global Targets in Nutrition
title_short Iraq Is Moving Forward to Achieve Global Targets in Nutrition
title_sort iraq is moving forward to achieve global targets in nutrition
topic food insecurity
micronutrient
indicators
Global Nutrition Targets
exclusive breastfeeding
internally displaced
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/2/215
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