Nutrition country profile: Iraq

Nutrition country profile Iraq 1 Source: WHO Global Health Observatory. Overweight prevalence among children under 5 years of age Pr ev al en ce (% ) Iraq Region Stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (% height-for-age <-2 SD) Pr ev al en ce (% ) Iraq Region Pr ev al en ce (% ) Wasting prevalence among children under 5 years of ageThe prevalence of wasting in children under five in Iraq decreased from 6.6% in 2000 to 2.5% in 2018. A remarkable decrease in the prevalence of stunting from 28.4% to 11.6% occurred between the years 2000 and 2020. During the same period, the prevalence of overweight in children under five remained relatively stable at 8.6% in 2000 and 9.0% in 2020. Child malnutrition Population as percentage of regional total, 2020 Percentage of female and male population, 2020 Population aged 0–14 of total population, 2020 Region Iraq Female Male 0–14 > 14 Total population (2019) 40 222 503 Life expectancy at birth (years) female/male (2019) 73/69 Under-5 mortality rate (per 1000 live births) (2019) 26 Gross domestic product per capita (current US$) (2020) 4 157.5 Demographics Source: The World Bank Nutrition country profile Iraq 2 An increase in the prevalence of overweight among adults in Iraq was recorded between the years 2000 and 2016 (from 55.7% to 64.6%). Also, the prevalence of overweight among children and adolescents aged 5–19 rose from 22.2% in 2000 to 32% in 2016. Overweight and obesity Source: WHO Global Health Observatory. Sources: UNICEF. Note: The WHO global anaemia estimates are derived from a hierarchical Bayesian mixture model that uses all available data to make estimates for each country and year. In the model, estimates for each country are informed by data from that country itself, if available, and by data from other countries, especially those in the same region. Due to this method, the estimates may differ from official estimates of Member States. The methodology is described here: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/anaemia-in-women-and-children/hb-methods-for-gather.pdf?sfvrsn=da0fbb5f_11 and here: https:// pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25103581/ Anaemia prevalence in women of reproductive age (15–49 years) Pr ev al en ce (% ) Iraq Region The prevalence of anaemia in women of reproductive age (pregnant and non-pregnant women combined) in Iraq decreased from 39.5% to 28.6% between the years 2000 and 2019. Anaemia in women of reproductive age The prevalence of early initiation of breastfeeding (within one hour of birth) in Iraq increased from 16.2% in 2000 to 32.4% in 2018. During the same period, the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding increased from 11.6% to 25.8%. Infant and young child feeding Note: The UNICEF/WHO/WB joint child malnutrition estimates for stunting and overweight are modelled at logit (log-odds) scale using a penalized longitudinal mixed-model with a heterogeneous error term. The country modelled estimates are generated using the JME country dataset, which uses the collection of national data sources. Due to this method, estimates may differ from official estimates of Member States (i.e., the stunting prevalence from a household survey for a given country in a given year is not reported as the prevalence for that country in that year; rather, it feeds into the modelled estimates). The methodology is described here: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240025257. Wasting is defined as a percent weight-for- height that is two or more standard deviations below the median. Stunting is defined as a percent height-for-age that is two or more standard deviations below the median. Overweight is defined as a percent weight-for-height that is two or more standard deviations above the median. Breastfeeding practices Pr ev al en ce (% ) Early initiation of breastfeeding Exclusive breastfeeding (children aged <6 months) Nutrition country profile Iraq 3 Overweight prevalence among adults ( BMI ≥ 25), (age-standardized estimate) Pr ev al en ce (% ) Iraq Region Overweight prevalence among children and adolescents (5-19) (BMI > +1 SD above the median), (crude estimate) Pr ev al en ce (% ) Iraq Region BMI = body mass index. (Overweight in adults is defined as a BMI of 25 or greater, and in children and adolescents as a BMI one or more standard deviations above the median. Obesity in adults is defined as a BMI of 30 or greater, and in children and adolescents as a BMI two or more standard deviations above the median.) Obesity is the reported risk factor responsible for the second greatest total number of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in Iraq in 2019. The prevalence of obesity increased from 22.2% to 30.4% between 2000 and 2016. Similarly, the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents aged 5–19 significantly increased between 2000 and 2016, from 8% to 14.4%. Obesity prevalence among adults (BMI ≥ 30 ), (age-standardized estimate) Pr ev al en ce (% ) Iraq Region 1 Country profiles [website]. Seattle, WA: Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington; 2021 (https://www.healthdata.org/results/country- profiles, accessed 11 July 2022). Nutrition country profile Iraq 4 Obesity prevalence among children and adolescents (5-19) (BMI > +2 SD above the median), (crude estimate) Pr ev al en ce (% ) Iraq Region Sources: WHO Global Health Observatory, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Note: The WHO estimates for overweight and obesity are derived from a Bayesian hierarchical model that uses NCD-RisC database of population-based data. The model has a hierarchical structure in which estimates for each country and year are informed by its own data, if available, and by data from other years in the same country and from other countries, especially those in the same region with data for similar time periods. Due to this method, the estimates may differ from official estimates of Member States. The methodology is described here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29029897/. Micronutrient status Nutrition policies and strategies The prevalence of vitamin A deficiency for children 12–59 months, defined as plasma or serum retinol level <0.7 μmol/l, in 2011–2012 was estimated at 15%. The iodine intake in Iraq is considered inadequate (defined as < 100 μg/L), as the estimated median urinary iodine concentration among school children was 84 μg/L in 2012.1 Source: WHO Micronutrients Database. Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition Information System. Key national programmes Date Development of national nutrition strategy or action plan a For 2012–2021 Plan of action for obesity prevention Strategy or plan of action on infant and young child feeding b, c 2008 Code of marketing of breast milk substitutes a, d, e Since 2015 Child growth monitoring b, c Since 2010 School feeding programme b, c Since 2010 Community-based management of acute malnutrition b, c 1 Doggui R, Al-Jawaldeh H, Al-Jawaldeh A. Trend of iodine status in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and impact of the universal salt iodization programs: a narrative review. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2020; 198, 390–402. Doi:10.1007/s12011-020-02083-1. Policies Policy to reduce salt/sodium consumption f, g Tax on sugar sweetened beverages f Policy to limit trans-fatty acid intake h Policy to reduce the impact of marketing of food to children Policy on salt iodization c, i Front-of-pack nutrition labelling for food Wheat flour fortification a, c, j 1993 Voluntary 2008 Mandatory =Policy/programme implemented =Policy/programme not implemented Nutrition country profile Iraq © World Health Organization 2023 Some rights reserved. This work is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 IGO licence (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo). 5 WHO-EM/NUT/295/E Ministry of Health Website: https://irangov.ir/ministry-of-health-and-medical-education a Policies in Iraq: In: Global database on the Implementation of Nutrition Action [website]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2022 (https://extranet.who.int/nutrition/gina/en/policies/1460, accessed 28 July 2022). b Programmes in Iraq: In: Global database on the Implementation of Nutrition Action [website]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2022 (https://extranet.who.int/nutrition/gina/en/programmes/1460, accessed 28 July 2022). c Global nutrition policy review 2016-2017: country progress in creating enabling policy environments for promoting healthy diets and nutrition. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018 (https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241514873, accessed 13 July 2022). d Al Jawaldeh A, Sayed G. Implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. East Mediterr Health J. 2018(1):25–32. doi:10.26719/2018.24.1.25. e Marketing of breast milk substitutes: national implementation of the international code, status report 2020. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2020 (https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240006010, accessed 6 June 2022). f Al-Jawaldeh A, Hammerich A, Doggui R, Engesveen K, Lang K, McColl K. Implementation of WHO recommended policies and interventions on healthy diet in the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region: From policy to action. Nutrients. 2020;12(12):3700. doi:10.3390/nu12123700. g Al-Jawaldeh A A, et al. Salt reduction initiatives in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and evaluation of progress towards the 2025 Global Target: A systematic review. Nutrients. 2021;13(8):2676. doi:10.3390/nu13082676 h Al-Jawaldeh A et al. A systematic review of trans fat reduction initiatives in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Front Nutr. 2021;8:771492. doi:10.3389/ fnut.2021.771492. i Doggui R, Al-Jawaldeh H, Al-Jawaldeh A. Trend of iodine status in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and impact of the universal salt iodization programs: a narrative review. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2020; 198, 390–402. doi:10.1007/s12011-020-02083-1. j Al-Jawaldeh AE. The regional assessment of the implementation of wheat flour fortification in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Int J Sci Res Manag. 2019; 7(03), 28–37. doi:10.18535/ijsrm/v6i3.ft01.