{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Cross-country health inequalities of four common nutritional deficiencies among children, 1990 to 2019: data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.
{Author}: Jiang W;Li X;Wang R;Du Y;Zhou W;
{Journal}: BMC Public Health
{Volume}: 24
{Issue}: 1
{Year}: 2024 Feb 15
{Factor}: 4.135
{DOI}: 10.1186/s12889-024-17942-y
{Abstract}: <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Nutritional deficiencies remain serious medical and public health issues worldwide, especially in children. This study aims to analyze cross-country inequality in four common nutritional deficiencies (protein-energy malnutrition, dietary iron deficiency, vitamin A deficiency and iodine deficiency) among children from 1990 to 2019 based on Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 data.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Prevalence and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) data as measures of four nutritional deficiency burdens in people aged 0 to 14 years were extracted from the GBD Results Tool. We analyzed temporal trends in prevalence by calculating the average annual percent change (AAPC) and quantified cross-country inequalities in disease burden using the slope index.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>Globally, the age-standardized prevalence rates of dietary iron deficiency, vitamin A deficiency and iodine deficiency decreased, with AAPCs of -0.14 (-0.15 to -0.12), -2.77 (-2.96 to -2.58), and -2.17 (-2.3 to -2.03) from 1999 to 2019, respectively. Significant reductions in socio-demographic index (SDI)-related inequality occurred in protein-energy malnutrition and vitamin A deficiency, while the health inequality for dietary iron deficiency and iodine deficiency remained basically unchanged. The age-standardized prevalence and DALY rates of the four nutritional deficiencies decreased as the SDI and healthcare access and quality index increased.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>The global burden of nutritional deficiency has decreased since 1990, but cross-country health inequalities still exist. More efficient public health measures are needed to reduce disease burdens, particularly in low-SDI countries/territories.