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Vitamin A (%)	15% of the preschool children have inadequate levels of Vitamin A. The deficiency is hidden in the hunger factor affecting the country. Many children cannot access the right vitamins and minerals because they eat very little food and whatever they find to ingest is lacking in all necessary nutrients.	20% of pregnant women and 10% of preschool children have vitamin A deficiencies. This is attributed to the lack of enough food types needed to reach the recommended threshold.
Iron (%)	Pregnant mothers and infants have iron deficiency. Again, the problem is rooted in the little or poor food intake especially eating balanced diets. But, the government has made steps to ensure that pregnant mothers access iron supplements from prenatal care to the 24th month of the infant.	82% of preschool aged children and 55% of pregnant mothers have iron deficiencies. The best recommendation offered for Maldives is to increase supplementation for pregnant mothers and children who are 24 months and below.
Iodine (%)	There is a 37% iodine deficiency among pregnant mothers which causes the risk of anemia among them. During birth, anemia threatens e life of both the infant and mother especially in cases where blood transfusion is necessary. It also leads to diminished productivity among the affected.	Two-thirds of Maldives households do not consume iodized salts. Most rely on the salt found in processed foods like canned tuna. As such, it is recommended that iodized salt is added during food processing.
Breast Milk (%)	60% of the infant are not exclusively breastfed between zero to six months. In addition, during the transition to solid food between 6-9 months, many infants are not provided with enough food and breast milk.	Only 10% of children under six months are exclusively breastfed. And between 6-9 months 15% of children do not receive adequate breast milk and food supply.
Food Insecure Households (%)	Over one-third of child deaths are caused by malnutrition. Children are born with low birth and others become sick and gradually lose weight. For adults, the affordability of westernized unhealthy foods have made such households to suffer overweight and obesity health related issues.	26% of children under five are malnourished because of low food intake. In addition, the cost of healthcare because of undernutrition cause about 2-5% of adult wages further intensifying the risk of food insecurity among households.

 

Here please write 100 to 150 words comparing and contrasting the nutritional state for the two countries. Please use a proper thesis statement, provide 2 examples of how the countries compare or contrast, a proper conclusion, and in-text citations and references in APA proper formatting. (5 points)

Each country has its strengths and weaknesses, but Maldives is a few steps ahead of Ecuador in average maternal and child health. According to World Bank (2013), Maldives performs better than many other countries in its region. They have lower levels of vitamin and nutrients deficiency among pregnant women and children below 2 years. However, Ecuador is also doing better than Maldives in some sectors. World Bank (2013) notes that Ecuador has a lower rate of stunting than Maldives. This shows that even though Ecuador citizens have an averagely lower income than Maldives’, they have taken adequate strategies to reduce their health vulnerabilities. Concerning health issues like overweight and obesity among children over 5 years and adults, both countries have high rate of prevalence which necessitates prompt lifestyle changes to reduce the health burden on the individuals and government.

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