Research
Adherence
Current food fortification and dietary supplement programs in the Middle East are sporadic and ineffective, failing to address the high prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies.
Do not rely solely on government food fortification to meet your micronutrient needs, as these programs are inconsistent in the region. You may need to take dietary supplements and get regular blood tests to ensure you are meeting your requirements for vitamins and minerals.
GoodRefutesHIGH confidence
Reports indicate that food fortification in the region is sporadic and ineffective, and the use of dietary supplements is low.
Why this rating
The paper is a review citing reports and surveys indicating the state of fortification and supplement use.
Source
The Prevalence of Micronutrient Deficiencies and Inadequacies in the Middle East and Approaches to Interventions
Nahla Hwalla et al. · Nutrients · 2017
DOI 10.3390/nu9030229
narrative_reviewCited 178×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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- Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are highly prevalent across all demographic groups in the Middle East, driven by cultural clothing practices and limited dietary sources, despite abundant year-long sunshine.Moderate
- Iron deficiency anemia is a moderate to severe public health problem in the Middle East, with prevalence rates significantly higher in women, children, and adolescents compared to men.Moderate
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