Robizon Tsiklauri
Nutritionist
Title: Nutrition surveillance system: Iron and Folate deficiency in Georgia
Biography
Robizon Tsiklauri has good experience in nutritiology, clinical epidemiology and research’s, working during many years in relevant fields, and has made training programs for doctors, which was about problems in Nutritiology and clinical epidemiology issues. He is reading several lectures in High Medical University, attending many popular TV & Radio programs of educating population and Health workers in nutritiology. He is managing of postdoctoral educational programme of qualification at the Tbilisi State Medical University. In 2005-2007 he used to be temporary advisor of WHO (Europe regional office of Europe) in Food and Nutrition field.
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: Several assessments of nutritional status have been done in the recent past in Georgia, but they do not contribute substantially to the estimation of nationwide prevalence rates of nutritional outcomes. In fact, until 2015 there was not any effective surveillance system in Georgia, which could provide with reliable data for developing national strategy of micronutrient deficiency elimination and improving the nutritional status of population. Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: With the support of US CDC, in 2015, NCDC of Georgia launched collaborative project - “strengthening of micronutrient deficiency surveillance in Georgiaâ€. For nutrition surveillance system (GNMSS) had been used sentinel surveillance approach, selecting 4 regions and 8 sentinels (2 sentinels in each region/children and pregnant health facilities). Iron deficiency was studded in pregnant and 12-23 months old children (toddlers) and folate deficiency in pregnant. Iron deficiency was measured using ferritin concentration in plasma with cut-off points of <12 µg/l in toddlers, and <15 µg/l in pregnant. Below 3.0 ng/ml was considered as a cut-off point of Folate (in plasma) deficiency in pregnant (1st trimester). Findings: The study showed 6.3% prevalence of anemia in 1680 pregnant enrolled in study. Blood testing of 243 pregnant resulted in 67.4% of Iron deficiency, and 31% prevalence of folate deficiency. The study in toddlers showed 33.7% prevalence of anemia in 516 children, and 84.4% prevalence of iron deficiency in 238 children. Severe anemia cases were not identified, not in toddlers and not in pregnant women. Conclusion & Significance: According to the results of the project, Georgia has the problems with iron deficiency in children and folate deficiency in pregnant, which means, that additional nutritional intervention is necessary for combating the deficiencies, effectively (food fortification, etc).