Vitamin A Status among Malnourished Children under 5 Years Old in Gaza

Malnutrition in children often begins at birth and is associated with retarded physical and cognitive development. This, in turn, yields serious implications for the overall national development agenda. Palestine is an exception as malnutrition appears among children, with (11) out of (100) children under-five suffer chronic malnutrition. Furthermore, micronutrient deficiencies (deficiencies in vitamin A, iodine and iron), a significant cause of malnutrition, include impaired growth and cognitive development, poor birth outcomes, anemia, cretinism and blindness. This book, therefore, provides base line information regarding malnutrition among children under 5 years old in Gaza city to both responsible authorities and the public. This will help improve nutritional status of the Palestinian children.