title: Impact of Micronutrient Malnutrition on the Health of Preschool Children: A Cross-Sectional Study.
abstract: A cross-sectional study was designed to diagnose the prevalence of serum micronutrient deficiencies in apparently healthy preschool children in Pakistan. Children with any organic illnesses, abnormal blood parameters or genetic disorder were excluded. Amongst the studied samples, 56 % were healthy, 7 % were overweight, 7 % were obese, and 30 % were underweight. The body mass index (BMI) of female children was reduced compared to male children, which was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Similarly, zinc and iron deficiencies, ranging from moderate to severe, were found in 50 % and 25 % of the studied population, respectively. Copper and vitamin A concentrations were insufficient in 7 % and 25 % of the subject children, respectively. Micronutrient malnutrition is a recurrent health problem in children below the age of 5 years worldwide, particularly in developing countries. Serum micronutrient deficiencies and imbalances were more prevalent in children from rural than from urban areas.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.|2 School of Chemistry, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Afzal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.|3 Bannu Medical College, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Farid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ullah Shah
authors.affiliation: 4 Deanship of scientific research, College of Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Salah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ud-Din Khan
authors.affiliation: 2 School of Chemistry, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.|4 Deanship of scientific research, College of Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Usman
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ali Rana
authors.affiliation: 3 Bannu Medical College, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shoaib Khan
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Biochemistry, Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Zahoor
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ahmad
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003300:Copper / Q000172:deficiency; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000172:deficiency*; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency
chemical_list: D018977:Micronutrients; D003300:Copper; D015032:Zinc
keywords: chromatography; dietary methodology; health; malnutrition; micronutrients; spectroscopy