Zinc deficiency is highly prevalent and spatially dependent over short distances in Ethiopia
Belay, Adamu; Gashu, Dawd; J. M. Joy, Edward; y Lark, R. Murray; Chagumaira, Christophe; H. Likoswe, Blessings; Zerfu, Dilnesaw; Ander, E. Louise; D.Young, Scott; H. Bailey, Elizabeth; R. Broadley, Martin
Date:
2021-03-22
Organizations Affiliated to the Authors:
Center for Food Science and Nutrition, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Food Science and Nutrition Research Directorate, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Gulele Sub City, P.O. Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK.
Department of Public Health, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Chichiri, Private Bag 360, Blantyre 3, Malawi.
Inorganic Geochemistry, Centre for Environmental Geochemistry, British Geological Survey, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK
Status:
Open Access
DOI:
doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-85977-x
Abstract:
Zinc (Zn) is an essential nutrient for human health. In Ethiopia, a high prevalence of Zn deficiency has been reported. To explore demographic variation and spatial dependencies in the Zn status of the Ethiopian population, we analyzed archived serum samples (n = 3373) from the 2015 Ethiopian National Micronutrient Survey (ENMS), a cross-sectional survey of young children, school-age children, women of reproductive age (WRA) and men conducted in all 9 regions and two city administration of Ethiopia. Serum Zn concentrations, measured using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICPMS), were compared to thresholds based on age, sex, fasting status, and time of blood collection, after adjusting for inflammation status. Median serum Zn concentration of the population was 57.5 μg dL−1. Overall, it is estimated that 72% of the population was Zn deficient, with high prevalence in all demographic groups. Spatial statistical analysis showed that there was spatial dependence in Zn status of WRA at distances of up to 45 km. Zinc deficiency is spatially dependent over short distances. Although WRA in most areas are likely to be Zn deficient, prevalence of deficiency varies at regional scale and between rural and urban inhabitants, suggesting there is scope to explore drivers of this variation, prioritize nutritional interventions, and to design more representative surveillance programs.
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