Sains Malaysiana 52(7)(2023): 2055-2067

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2023-5207-13

Review on Food Insecurity and Its Relationship with Iron and Vitamin B₁₂ Status among Children

 (Tinjauan Ketidakjaminan Makanan serta Hubungannya dengan Status Ferum dan Vitamin B₁₂ dalam Kalangan Kanak-Kanak)

WAN SITI FATIMAH WAN ABDUL RAHMAN¹, SITI BALKIS BUDIN^1,*, TANG SWEE FONG² & POH BEE KOON¹

¹Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

²Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), UKM Specialist Children's Hospital, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak Cheras, 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Received: 25 November 2022/Accepted: 10 July 2023

Abstract

Iron and vitamin B₁₂ are essential micronutrients needed for the growth and development of children. Iron is critical for erythropoiesis, notably in haemoglobin synthesis whereby haemoglobin transports oxygen to cells, which is essential for cellular metabolism and energy production. Meanwhile, vitamin B₁₂ is required for deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis, intracellular metabolism, and blood cells formation and maturation. Lack of these essential micronutrients can lead to nutritional deficiency and anaemia, especially among children. Food insecurity is a condition where there is a lack of or uncertain availability of acquiring acceptable food. Food insecurity is associated with lower nutrient intake and micronutrient deficiencies including iron and vitamin B₁₂, which can subsequently lead to poor health outcomes. Various determinants are associated with iron and vitamin B₁₂ deficiency, and food insecurity, such as socio-economic factors, environmental factors, and dietary intake. This review will explore the possible relationship between iron, vitamin B₁₂, and anaemia with food insecurity among children. 

Keywords: Anaemia; dietary intake; food insecurity; micronutrients; socio-economic factors

Abstrak

Ferum dan vitamin B₁₂ adalah mikronutrien penting yang diperlukan bagi tumbesaran dan perkembangan kanak-kanak. Ferum penting untuk eritropoiesis, terutamanya dalam penghasilan hemoglobin kerana hemoglobin berperanan untuk mengangkut oksigen ke sel-sel dan ini penting bagi metabolisme sel dan penghasilan tenaga. Di samping itu, vitamin B₁₂ diperlukan untuk sintesis asid deoksiribonukleik, metabolisme intrasel, serta pembentukan dan pematangan sel darah. Kekurangan mikronutrien penting ini boleh membawa kepada kurang pemakanan dan anemia terutamanya dalam kalangan kanak-kanak. Ketidakjaminan makanan adalah keadaan terdapat kekurangan atau ketersediaan yang tidak pasti untuk memperoleh makanan yang boleh diterima. Ketidakjaminan makanan dikaitkan dengan kekurangan pengambilan nutrien dan kekurangan mikronutrien termasuklah ferum dan vitamin B₁₂ yang seterusnya menyebabkan kesan yang berpanjangan kepada kesihatan. Pelbagai faktor penentu yang dikaitkan dengan kekurangan ferum dan vitamin B₁₂, serta ketidakjaminan makanan seperti status sosioekonomi, faktor persekitaran dan pengambilan makanan. Oleh itu, tinjauan ini bertujuan meneroka hubungan ferum, vitamin B₁₂, dan anemia dengan ketidakjaminan makanan dalam kalangan kanak-kanak.

Kata kunci: Anemia; faktor sosioekonomi; ketidakjaminan makanan; mikronutrien; pengambilan makanan

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*Corresponding author, email: balkis@ukm.edu.my