The Hidden Hunger Index Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire)

The extent of hidden hunger can be globally compared with the help of the Hidden Hunger Index (1). The overall index is calculated by the arithmetic mean of three components that describe the serious consequences of micronutrient deficiencies in a country:

• the percentage of under-five year old children being stunted, meaning that they are too small for their age, as a sign of zinc deficiency
• the percentage of under-five year old children who are affected by iron deficiency anemia, as a sign of iron deficiency
• the percentage of under-five year old children who lack retinol (serum retinol <0.70 mol / l), as a sign of vitamin A deficiency.

At the Ivory Coast 40.1 % of the under-five year olds are stunted, thus showing signs of zinc deficiency, 34.5 % are affected by iron deficiency and 57.3 % of them have vitamin A deficiencies. With a Hidden Hunger value of 44.0, the Ivory Coast is worldwide one of the by micronutrient deficiencies most affected countries. Despite the economic growth and the efforts in the Ivory Coast, to improve the situation, the micronutrient deficiencies remain at a high level there are (2).

The following map illustrates change of the hidden hunger index between 1995 and 2011 (3).
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(1) S. Muthayya et al. The Global Hidden Hunger Indices and Maps: An Advocacy Tool for Action. Published: June 12, 2013. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0067860. Link: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0067860

(2) J.C. Ruel-Bergeron et al. Global Update and Trends of Hidden Hunger, 1995-2011: The Hidden Hunger Index. PLoS One. 2015; 10(12): e0143497. Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684416/#pone.0143497.s001

(3) ibidem, table S1. Hidden Hunger Index by Country and Year, 1995-2011