Galani Yamdeu, JH orcid.org/0000-0003-4841-7414, Orfila, C orcid.org/0000-0003-2564-8068 and Gong, YY orcid.org/0000-0003-4927-5526 (2020) A Review of Micronutrient Deficiencies and Analysis of Maize Contribution to Nutrient Requirements of Women and Children in Eastern and Southern Africa. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. ISSN 1040-8398
Abstract
This paper reviews and analyses the importance of maize as staple food in Eastern and Southern Africa (E&SA) and contributes in understanding the nexus between maize nutritional composition and prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies (MNDs) in these regions. MNDs remain a major public health concern particularly for women and children, with calcium, iodine, iron, selenium, zinc, folate and vitamin A deficiencies being the most common. Estimates of their prevalence are among the highest in E&SA: iron-deficient anaemia affected 26 to 31% of women of reproductive age, and deficiencies up to 53%, 36%, 66%, 75% and 62% for vitamin A, iodine, zinc, calcium and selenium, respectively, were measured in populations of these regions. Besides, these two regions show the highest worldwide maize per capita consumption (g/person/day) as main staple, with 157 in Eastern Africa and 267 in Southern Africa, including up to 444 in Lesotho. The analysis of food composition tables from these regions showed that 100 g of maize foods consumed by these populations could to some extent, contribute in satisfying dietary reference intakes (DRIs) of children and women in energy, proteins, carbohydrates, magnesium, zinc, vitamins B1 and B6. However, it provides very low supply of fats, calcium, sodium, selenium, vitamins C, A and E. The high occurrence of MNDs and considerable nutritional potential of maize consumed in E&SA can be explained by loss of nutrients due to processing practices, low food diversification and reduced nutrients bioavailability. Success cases of the main strategies to tackle the issue of MNDs in these regions by improving maize nutritional quality are discussed in this paper. Maize fortification was shown to improve nutrition and health outcomes of population. Increasing dietary diversity by complementing maize with other foods has improved nutrition through integration of micronutrient-rich foods in the diet. Mostly, biofortification has successfully contributed in reducing vitamin A and zinc deficiencies in rural communities more than nutrient supplementation, fortification and dietary diversity.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2020 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. This is an author produced version of a review published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Maize; Africa; Micronutrient deficiencies; Women; Children; Biofortification |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Food Science and Nutrition (Leeds) > FSN Chemistry and Biochemistry (Leeds) The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Food Science and Nutrition (Leeds) > FSN Nutrition and Public Health (Leeds) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number BBSRC (Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council) BB/P027784/1 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 13 Nov 2020 17:15 |
Last Modified: | 12 Nov 2021 01:38 |
Status: | Published online |
Publisher: | Taylor & Francis |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/10408398.2020.1844636 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:167391 |