UAE | Health
Regional guidelines to tackle infant malnutrition expected
The Middle East is close to formulating a nutritional guideline and policy for infants when they switch from breastfeeding to solid food. It is based on international guidelines and tailored for the region.
- By Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 May 15, 2006
Dubai: The Middle East is close to formulating a nutritional guideline and policy for infants when they switch from breastfeeding to solid food. It is based on international guidelines and tailored for the region.
Representatives from the Middle East Academy of Paediatric Nutrition (MEAPN), created by Wyeth Nutrition, which develops, manufactures and distributes nutritional products, are collecting data on infant nutrition. An action plan is to be formulated in November.
The eight member countries comprise the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt.
Dr Eric L. Lien, vice-president of nutritional research at Wyeth Nutrition, told Gulf News the guidelines were important to improve infant nutrition during the weaning process, which is low in the region and other parts of the world.
He added that the most common problems included iron, protein, vitamin and calcium deficiencies.
The MEAPN meeting in November will recommend a comprehensive policy on breastfeeding and weaning, which will have to be ratified by each member state.
Dr Lien hopes the process will take less than three years.
Beverly Halchak, senior director of nutrition policy at Wyeth, said deficiency in an infant's diet during the first two years of their life would lead to some developmental problems.
"If they have an iron deficiency growing up, they will have a shorter attention span and be more irritable they will be less focused," she said.
Share this article
More from UAE Health
More from UAE
Popular in UAE
-
Your pictures
Readers' pictures
The best reader pictures from around the UAE this week
Latest news
- How I got into grad school in New York
- Committee plans for National Day
- Gallery gives helping hand to children's charity
- Failed heist: Gang ditches electrocuted member
- Rule of law 'necessary' for investment
- Students opt for vocational training
- Red Line Metro stations to open in February
- Vaccination drive for Haj pilgrims launched
- British athlete becomes first to swim around Palm
- 287 street vendors, beggars held in Dubai
- Call for entries to the third AUS Model United Nations
- Talk your way to the top
- Notes in Brief
- Man jumps to death after car tyre burst
- Burst pipe on SZR causes Metro station closures
Community Reports
-
Public transport is the way to go
Residents must stop complaining about feeder buses taking up parking space
-
Be kind to animals
Mistreated Labrador and puppy need new home filled with love
-
Help me find my precious cat
Raif, my cute eight-month-old ‘fur ball', went missing in Abu Dhabi's Al Bateen area last month
-
Pavement parking irks pedestrians
Gulf News reader calls on authorities to step in and stop car owners from invading pathways meant for safe walking
