Risk Factors for Vitamin D and Iron Deficiency among East African Immigrants in Temperate Climates - Research Proposal Example

Risk Factors for Vitamin D Deficiency and Iron Deficiency among East African Immigrants in Temperate Climates Name Institutional Affiliation Risk Factors for Vitamin D Deficiency and Iron Deficiency among East African Immigrants in Temperate Climates Introduction In the recent years, an increased number of people from the Sub-Sahara especially East African have migrated to industrialized countries with high income such the USA, Western Europe, Canada and Australia. Reports on research conducted by Australia and overseas show high rates of iron and vitamin D deficiency (VDD) among the East African Immigrant adults. These increased rates of Vitamin D deficiency among the East African immigrant adults in temperate climates suggests that immigrant children are also at risk of the same. VDD negatively affects children, adolescents, adults and even infants. VDD restricts the growth of infants during pregnancy, causes rickets in children, andosteomalacia in adolescents and adults (McGillivray et al., 2007). Iron deficiency can lead to arrhythmiasis, heart enlargement, heart murmur and heart attack. Researchers have evaluated the prevalence, severity, pattern and VDD risk factors amongst Sub Saharan immigrant children. From previous research, the risk factors for VDD include younger ages, longer times of residence in host country, female gender; wearing covering clothes, 25 OHD tested in spring and winter, and decreased daylight exposure (McGillivray et al., 2007, &Renzaho et al., 2011). However, the general pattern associated with these risk factors for VDD shows reduction in UVR exposure. Unlike VDD, the risk factors for Iron deficiency are few. The most significant risk factor for iron deficiency is the time length for breastfeeding. This paper will explain how specific risk factors affect iron and vitamin D deficiency among East African Immigrants in temperate climates. Literature Review Continuous increase in number of immigrants to more industrialized and temperate countries has posed great health concerns in the host countries. Researchers and medical offices have been conducting researches on the health conditions of the immigrants especially on nutritional deficiency diseases like Vitamin D deficiency, Iron deficiency, and their relationship with high rates of infectious diseases like Tuberculosis, prostate cancer, type 2 diabetes (T2D), breast cancer, colon cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Most of the reports from these researches indicate high prevalence of iron deficiency and vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and among the East African Immigrants. Due to the negative effects of these deficiencies, it is necessary to research on the risk factors for both deficiencies in order to control them. Researchers in Australia determined the prevalence, severity, VDD risk factors and their pattern amongst immigrant children. Research documented by McGillivray et al (2007), found high prevalence of iron deficiency and vitamin D deficiency (VDD) among the young East African immigrants living in temperate climates. The objective of the research was to study the pattern of the VDD risk factors in immigrant East African children in Melbourne, Australia. Research’s methodology included the use of questionnaires, medical assessment and laboratory tests for 232 immigrant children from East Africa. The results for the research indicated that 87% of them had low 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-0HD< 50 nmol/l) and 44% Vitamin D deficiency (25-OHD Read More