title: Micronutrient deficiencies in early childhood can lower a country's GDP: The Myanmar example.
abstract: Myanmar (Burma) is a developing country in South East Asia. While Myanmar is among the 20 countries where 80% of the world's malnourished children live, its military consumes the majority of the national budget. Children who are malnourished between conception and age two are at high risk for impaired physical and mental development, which adversely affects the country's productivity and growth. Myanmar is facing three major micronutrient deficiencies which are iodine, iron and vitamin A deficiencies. The three micronutrient deficiencies can cost about 2.4% of the country's GDP. Children are the future of Myanmar and persistent micronutrient deficiencies will hamper its economic growth and lower its GDP.
authors.affiliation: Notre Dame de Namur University, Belmont, CA, USA. Electronic address: aungzwin@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Aung Zaw
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Win
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000191:economics; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000191:economics*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000191:economics*; D003906:Developing Countries; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000209:etiology; D057217:Economic Development; D059066:Gross Domestic Product; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007455:Iodine / Q000172:deficiency; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000172:deficiency*; D008903:Minerals; D002052:Myanmar; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000191:economics
chemical_list: D018977:Micronutrients; D008903:Minerals; D007455:Iodine
keywords: Economy; GDP; Malnutrition; Micronutrient deficiency; Myanmar