|
|
|
|
front |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |6 |7 |8 |9 |10 |11 |12 |13 |14 |15 |16 |17 |18 |19 |20 |21 |22 |23 |24 |25 |26 |27 |28 |29 |review |
Data courtesy of the Regional Ministry of Health, Beer-Sheva |
A regional sample from 46 Maternal and Child Health (MCH) clinics was obtained
in 1993. Of the 251 Jewish children (JC) examined from 36 clinics, 18% were
anemic. In the remaining 10 clinics, 187 Bedouin children (BC) at 1 year of age
were examined, and more than a quarter of them were anemic. A repeat from the 10
clinics in 1996 from 691 children showed no reduction in the anemia rates.
Several explanations can be offered for the lack of improvement in the iron deficiency in Bedouin children. These include dietary habits (giving tea and herbal tea as a drink supplement to breast fed and formula fed infants). Using nutritionally inadequate but cheap formula, lack of knowledge and lack of nutrition education of the mothers. |