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Introduction: obesity and anemia remain global public health problems, having major negative effects on human health. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of anemia and investigate its association with overweight/obesity and excess body fat among Moroccan adolescents. Methods: a total of 292 adolescents aged 11-17 years were recruited. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were determined using standardized equipment. Body fat mass was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Hemoglobin concentration was measured by the HemoCue method. Results: the overall prevalence of anemia was 13.7%. Anemia was more common among overweight/obese participants (15.2%) compared to non-overweight participants (12.8%). Overweight/obese boys were more likely to experience anemia than their non-overweight peers (odds ratio (OR): 1.49; 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 0.51-4.41). Similarly, anemia likelihood was higher among individuals having excess body fat than those who do not have excess body fat, particularly among girls (OR: 1.64; 95%CI: 0.693.87). Excess body fat was also significantly associated with lower hemoglobin concentration in both the total sample and girls (P=0.014, and P=0.041, respectively). Overall, increased BMI, WC, fat mass, and percent body fat were associated with reduced hemoglobin concentrations. There was a significant negative correlation between hemoglobin concentration and BMI among anemic girls (P=0.023). Conclusion: elevated BMI and body fat level were associated with lower hemoglobin concentrations and anemia. Further studies are needed to delineate the basis of such associations, and if these findings are confirmed, the guidelines for screening for anemia may need to be modified to include overweight/obesity as a risk factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Schoolchildren in Morocco are rarely targeted by micronutrient interventions. A school-milk program could be a good strategy for the administration of micronutrients, including vitamin A, in Moroccan school age children. OBJECTIVE: Our study aims to evaluate the effect of consumption of multiple micronutrients fortified milk on reducing vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in a pilot school milk program. METHODS: This longitudinal, interventional and double-blind study aimed to investigate the effects of consuming multimicronutrient fortified whole milk, including vitamin A, for a period of 9 months, as part of a geographical targeted school-milk program, on vitamin A status of school-aged children living in a rural and mountainous area. Children were divided in two groups: a non-fortified milk group (NFMG, n = 111) received daily 200 ml of a whole ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk and a fortified milk group (FMG, n = 69) received daily 200 ml of an UHT milk fortified with multiple micronutrients, including vitamin A (retinyl palmitate). The vitamin A status of children has been assessed on the basis of serum retinol concentrations, using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Children were not dewormed during the study. RESULTS: At the endline, albeit it was observed a significant decrease of VAD prevalence from 49.3% to 4.3% in the fortified group (P < 0.001) and from 45% to 25.2% in the non-fortified group (P = 0.001), the remaining prevalence of VAD in the endline was significantly lower in the fortified milk group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A fortified school milk program seems to be effective to combat VAD among schoolchildren in this rural region of Morocco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iodine is required for the production of the thyroid hormones essential for the growth and development of the brain. All forms of iodine deficiency (ID) affect the mental development of the child. Our study aims to assess the impact of ID on the intellectual development of Moroccan schoolchildren and to evaluate the effect of consumption of fortified milk on reducing ID. In a double-blind controlled trial conducted on schoolchildren, children were divided into two groups to receive fortified milk (30% of cover of RDI iodine) or nonfortified milk for 9 months. Urinary iodine was analyzed using the Sandell-Kolthoff reaction, a dynamic cognitive test using Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices to assess learning potential was performed at baseline and end line, and anthropometric assessment was done only at baseline. The study included schoolchildren who were severely iodine deficient. The prevalence of malnutrition was high in both groups; in this study, we found improvements in iodine status and in cognitive abilities among Moroccan schoolchildren. Our study showed that the consumption of fortified milk led to a clear improvement in iodine status and also appeared to have a favorable effect on the cognitive ability of Moroccan schoolchildren in a rural mountainous region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]