OBJECTIVES: To produce estimates of main nutrition deficiencies to identify public health intervention priorities; to investigate the importance of urban-rural and resident-refugee differences; to validate the vulnerability indicators used for targeting humanitarian aid. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study with cluster design on a nationally representative sample of 2627 households (3390 children under five and 2649 mothers). RESULTS: Underweight was observed in 4% of the mothers, while more than one third of them showed different levels of overweight. Prevalence of anaemia in mothers was 15% with significant highest prevalence in rural areas. Stunting was detected in 12% of children with highest prevalence in rural zones. The overall prevalence of wasting was 4%. The prevalence of anaemia in children under five was 16% with highest prevalence in rural areas (22%). A vulnerability questionnaire was tested: it was only partially able to identify best potential beneficiaries of humanitarian aid. CONCLUSIONS: Armenian children and women were not affected by major energy problems, but followed inadequate diets that led them to a low micronutrient status. Drought in 2000s compromised the possibility of improving the general nutritional status.
OBJECTIVES: To produce estimates of main nutrition deficiencies to identify public health intervention priorities; to investigate the importance of urban-rural and resident-refugee differences; to validate the vulnerability indicators used for targeting humanitarian aid. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study with cluster design on a nationally representative sample of 2627 households (3390 children under five and 2649 mothers). RESULTS: Underweight was observed in 4% of the mothers, while more than one third of them showed different levels of overweight. Prevalence of anaemia in mothers was 15% with significant highest prevalence in rural areas. Stunting was detected in 12% of children with highest prevalence in rural zones. The overall prevalence of wasting was 4%. The prevalence of anaemia in children under five was 16% with highest prevalence in rural areas (22%). A vulnerability questionnaire was tested: it was only partially able to identify best potential beneficiaries of humanitarian aid. CONCLUSIONS: Armenian children and women were not affected by major energy problems, but followed inadequate diets that led them to a low micronutrient status. Drought in 2000s compromised the possibility of improving the general nutritional status.
Authors: Carlos S Grijalva-Eternod; Jonathan C K Wells; Mario Cortina-Borja; Nuria Salse-Ubach; Mélody C Tondeur; Carmen Dolan; Chafik Meziani; Caroline Wilkinson; Paul Spiegel; Andrew J Seal Journal: PLoS Med Date: 2012-10-02 Impact factor: 11.069