Food expert at the National Council for Scientific Research, Dr. Maha Hoteit, confirmed that “the National Council conducted, in the first phase, a reference research study on the rate of stunting among children between the years 2004 and 2021, to show that the rate of stunting among children in Lebanon is about 9.7%.”
In an interview with the “Lebanese Debate”, Hoteit said: “The second phase is about conducting field studies, and among these field studies, the result of which was published, it was proved that the stunting rate returned and increased from 9.7% to 12% after the year 2021, and this is a very large number for the region.” Arab countries where the stunting rate does not exceed 7%.
And she added, “As for the rate of overweight and obesity between the years 2004 and 2021, it was 18.9%, but today it has risen to 26% in the latest field study that we carried out, and of course at the level of all Lebanese governorates.”
And she stressed that “the matter is serious, as stunting means that we will face new generations of short stature and malnutrition compared to previous generations, which will inevitably affect the educational and academic level.”
What are the causes of the high rate of stunting and obesity in Lebanon? She replied: “Since the beginning of the economic crisis in Lebanon, we have been carrying out continuous field studies. The first study, which was conducted at the beginning of the crisis in Lebanon, proved that 53% of families suffer from a lack of diversity in food security, meaning that the amount of vitamins and minerals is unhealthy to secure the necessary quantities.” For children”.
And she continued: “A year and a half after the first field study, the study was repeated and the rate increased from 53% to 72%, which means that the amount of vitamins and minerals is insufficient due to the lack of dietary diversity, and this is one of the main reasons that led to the high percentages.”
And she added, “In addition to the lack of diversity in food, the increase in poverty in Lebanon, the economic situation, the promise of political stability, and the Ukraine crisis, which raised the rate of food insecurity, these are all the main reasons that raised the rate of stunting among children.”
What about solutions? She replied: “It is related to the food security solutions that are carried out by the ministries. We constantly participate in the workshops that are carried out by the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture and the Ministry of Industry and Economy, but until today there is no clear vision to help in the long term, because the solution must come from the steps that you take.” government to reduce the problems of collapse.
Hoteit concluded by saying: “What we are warning of today is the nutritional health danger and the social danger in the coming stages, and we are beginning to resemble sleeping countries, such as Bangladesh and Africa to some extent, as the numbers are frightening and the matter is very dangerous.”