Stunting is a major risk factor for overweight: results from national surveys in 5 Arab countries.

We analysed data on overweight and stunting from large national surveys performed between 2001 and 2004 in 5 Arab countries (Djibouti, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Morocco, Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen). Overweight and stunting were defined according to new WHO growth standards. Overweight ranged from 8.9% in Yemen to 20.2% in Syrian Arab Republic. The risk ratio (RR) for overweight in stunted children ranged from 2.14 in Djibouti to 3.85 in Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. RR ranged from 0.76 in mildly stunted children of Yemen to 7.15 in severely stunted children in Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. Etiological fraction in the population ranged from 7.49% to 69.76%.

Stunting is a major risk factor for overweight: results from national surveys in 5 Arab countries

We analysed data on overweight and stunting from large national surveys performed between 2001 and 2004 in 5 Arab countries [Djibouti, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Morocco, Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen]. Overweight and stunting were defined according to new WHO growth standards. Overweight ranged from 8.9% in Yemen to 20.2% in Syrian Arab Republic. The risk ratio [RR] for overweight in stunted children ranged from 2.14 in Djibouti to 3.85 in Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. RR ranged from 0.76 in mildly stunted children of Yemen to 7.15 in severely stunted children in Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. Etiological fraction in the population ranged from 7.49% to 69.76%

Libyan National Health Services The Need to Move to Management-by-Objectives.

In the last four decades, there has been a substantial horizontal expansion of health services in Libya. This resulted in improvement in morbidity and mortality, in particularly those related to infectious disease. However, measures such as the national performance gap indicator reveal an underperforming health system. In this article, we discuss aspects related to the Libyan health system and its current status including areas of weakness. Overcoming current failures and further improvement are unlikely to occur spontaneously without proper planning. Defining community health problems, identifying unmet needs, surveying resources to meet them, establishing SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, and realistic and time specific) objectives, and projecting administrative action to accomplish the proposed programs, are a must. The health system should rely on newer approaches such as management-by-objectives and risk-management rather than the prevailing crisis-management attitude.

Nutritional Status of Under-Five Children in Libya : a National Population-Based Survey

Aim: To describe the nutritional status of children under-five years of age in Libya. Population and methods: A secondary analysis of data of 5348 children taken from a national representative; two-stage; cluster-sample survey that was performed in 1995. Results: Prevalence rates of underweight; wasting; stunting; and overweight were determined using standard definitions in reference to newly established WHO growth charts. The study revealed that 4.3of children were underweight; 3.7wasted; 20.7stunted; and 16.2overweight. Seventy percent of children had normal weight. Undernutrition was more likely to be found in males; in rural areas; and in under- privileged groups. Overweight was more likely found in urban; privileged groups. Wasting was more common in arid regions; stunting was more common in mountainous regions of Al- Akhdar; Al-Gharbi; and in Sirt. Al-Akhdar had the highest prevalence of overweight. Conclusion: The country had a low prevalence of underweight and wasting; moderate prevalence of stunting; and high prevalence of overweight. The country is in the early stages of transition with evidence of dual-burden in some regions. Similar surveys are needed to verify secular trends of these nutritional problems; particularly overweight

Nutritional Status of Under-five Children in Libya: a National Population-based Survey

Aim: To describe the nutritional status of children under-five years of age in Libya. Population and methods: A secondary analysis of data of 5348 children taken from a national representative; two-stage; cluster-sample survey that was performed in 1995. Results: Prevalence rates of underweight; wasting; stunting; and overweight were determined using standard definitions in reference to newly established WHO growth charts. The study revealed that 4.3of children were underweight; 3.7wasted; 20.7stunted; and 16.2overweight. Seventy percent of children had normal weight. Undernutrition was more likely to be found in males; in rural areas; and in underprivileged groups. Overweight was more likely found in urban; privileged groups. Wasting was more common in arid regions; stunting was more common in mountainous regions of Al-Akhdar; Al-Gharbi; and in Sirt. Al-Akhdar had the highest prevalence of overweight.Conclusion: The country had a low prevalence of underweight and wasting; moderate prevalence of stunting; and high prevalence of overweight. The country is in the early stages of transition with evidence of dual-burden in some regions. Similar surveys are needed to verify secular trends of these nutritional problems; particularly overweight