Publications by authors named "Khawaja Masuood Ahmed"
Aim: Growth reference values about mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) are vital for assessing children's nutritional status. However, Pakistan lacks these reference values and growth charts. This study aims to develop these for children aged 6-60 months and compare them with global standards.
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- Child stunting is a significant public health issue in Pakistan, with a staggering 40.0% of children under five being affected mainly due to inadequate nutrition during their early development.
- The study analyzed data from the National Nutrition Survey (NNS) 2018, focusing on demographic, socioeconomic, and geographic factors influencing stunting prevalence in Pakistani children.
- Key findings reveal that male children living in rural areas, particularly those with uneducated mothers or those facing diarrhea, are at greater risk of stunting.
Article Synopsis
- * The study analyzed data from the National Nutrition Survey (NNS) 2018 to determine the prevalence of IDA among children under five (CU5) and women of reproductive age (WRA) in Pakistan, using defined biochemical markers.
- * Findings revealed a significant prevalence of IDA, with 28.9% of CU5 and 18.4% of WRA affected; higher risks were associated with rural living, lack of maternal education, and recent illnesses such as diarrhea
Pakistan is among the nations with a high intake of trans-fatty acids (TFAs), a major dietary risk factor of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Efforts are underway in the country to eliminate industrially produced TFAs from the food supply in keeping with the priority targets of the World Health Organization (WHO) for 2019-2023. We reviewed the TFA content reported in industrially produced foods and discuss the regulatory landscape for TFAs, to facilitate the required policy changes in Pakistan and ultimately eliminate the TFA burden from industrial food products.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEmergency obstetric care in Punjab, Pakistan: improvement needed.
Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care
June 2008
Introduction: This paper describes an approach to maternal mortality reduction in Pakistan that uses UN emergency obstetric care (EmOC) process indicators to examine if public health care centres in Pakistan's Punjab province comply with minimum recommendations for basic and comprehensive services.
Methods: In a cross sectional study in September 2003, through random sampling at area and health-facility levels from 30% of districts in Punjab province (n = 11/34 districts), all public health facilities providing EmOC were included (n = 120). Facility data were used for analysis.