The risk of selenium deficiency in Malawi is large and varies over multiple spatial scales

Phiri, Felix P.; Ander, E. Louise; Bailey, Elizabeth H.; Chilima, Benson; Chilimba, Allan D. C.; Gondwe, Jellita; Joy, Edward J. M.; Kalimbira, Alexander A.; Kumssa, Diriba B.; Lark, R. Murray; Phuka, John C.; Salter, Andrew; Suchdev, Parminder S.; Watts, Michael J.; Young, Scott D.; Broadley, Martin R.

Abstract

Selenium (Se) is an essential human micronutrient. Deficiency of Se decreases the activity of selenoproteins and can compromise immune and thyroid function and cognitive development, and increase risks from non-communicable diseases. The prevalence of Se deficiency is unknown in many countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Here we report that the risk of Se deficiency in Malawi is large among a nationally representative population of 2,761 people. For example, 62.5% and 29.6% of women of reproductive age (WRA, n = 802) had plasma Se concentrations below the thresholds for the optimal activity of the selenoproteins glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPx3;

Citation

Phiri, F. P., Ander, E. L., Bailey, E. H., Chilima, B., Chilimba, A. D. C., Gondwe, J., …Broadley, M. R. (2019). The risk of selenium deficiency in Malawi is large and varies over multiple spatial scales. Scientific Reports, 9(1), Article 6566. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-43013-z

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 11, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Apr 25, 2019
• Publication Date: Apr 25, 2019
• Deposit Date: Apr 30, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 30, 2019
• Journal: Scientific Reports
• Electronic ISSN: 2045-2322
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 9
• Issue: 1
• Article Number: 6566
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-43013-z
• Keywords: Multidisciplinary
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1879835
• Publisher URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-43013-z