A Household-Based Survey of Iodine Nutrition in Moroccan Children Shows Iodine Sufficiency at the National Level But Risk of Deficient Intakes in Mountainous Areas

Historically, mountainous areas of Morocco have been affected by endemic goiter and severe iodine deficiency. In 1995, Morocco legislated salt iodization to reduce iodine deficiency. There has been no national survey of iodine nutrition in school-age children for nearly 3 decades. Our aim was to assess iodine nutrition in a national sample of 6–12-year-old children in Morocco to inform the national salt iodization strategy. In this cross-sectional household-based survey, we randomly recruited healthy 6–12-year-old children from 180 clusters in four geographic zones (north and east, central, north and south) covering the 12 regions of Morocco. A questionnaire was completed, including socio-economic status and parental level of education. In addition, anthropometric measurements were taken to assess nutrition status, and a spot urine sample was collected to measure urinary iodine concentration (UIC). A total of 3118 households were surveyed, and 1043 eligible children were recruited, 56% from urban areas and 44% from rural areas. At the national level, the percentage of surveyed samples with UIC < 50 μg/L was 21.6% (19.2%; 24.2%), which exceeds the WHO suggestion of no more than 20% of samples below 50 μg/L, despite an adequate level of median urinary iodine concentration (mUIC) at 117.4 µg/L (110.2; 123.3). There were no statistically significant differences in mUIC comparing urban vs. rural areas and socio-economic status. However, the mUIC was significantly lower in the central (high-altitude non-coastal) zone (p < 0.004), where the mUIC (95% CI) was deficient at 89.2 µg/L (80.8; 102.9). There was also a significant difference in the mUIC by head of household education level (p = 0.008). The mUIC in Moroccan children >100 µg/L indicates iodine sufficiency at the national level. However, the percentage of surveyed samples with UIC < 50 μg/L above suggests that a significant proportion of children remain at risk for iodine deficiency, and it appears those at greatest risk are residing in the central (high altitude non-coastal) zone. A national level mUIC value may conceal discrepancies in iodine intake among different sub-groups, including those defined by geographic region.

Cultural Bias in Intelligence Assessment Using a Culture-Free Test in Moroccan Children

Objective Previous research has shown that cognitive tests can lead to misclassification when applying non-representative norms to measure cognitive performance. The objective of this study was to investigate whether this misclassification also occurs with a non-verbal so-called “culture-free” intelligence test administered to different age groups. Method The intelligence of a sample of healthy Moroccan children (N = 147) ages 7, 9, and 11 was assessed using the Coloured Raven’s Progressive Matrices (CPM). Raw scores were used to study age differences, as well as misclassifications when applying the norms of three countries culturally different from Morocco (United Kingdom, Spain, and Oman). Results Intelligence performance was not within the normal range when non-representative norms were applied to the Moroccan raw scores. Misclassifications accounted for a large percentage of the participants that supposedly displayed intelligence deficits, especially when applying the British norms. Up to 15.68% of the healthy children fell within the “intellectually impaired” range, and up to 62.5% fell “below average,” with these percentages especially higher at older ages. Conclusions Our findings confirm that “culture-free” tests should be adapted to each culture and applied together with their culture’s specific norms to prevent misclassification and allow for a better, unbiased neuropsychological assessment.

Children's Literature as a Front in the War on Terror: Ineffective Policy, Ineffective Literature

Morocco is often praised for its proactive and innovative CVE (countering violent extremism) programme. This article analyses a three-part Arabic-language book series, Maʿ Naṣir wa Basma [With Nasir and Basma], produced by an organ of the Moroccan religious bureaucracy, the Mohammedan League of Religious Scholars, that ostensibly seeks to discourage adolescents from being susceptible to recruitment to VE (violent extremist) organisations. Starring two young Moroccan children, these books portray jihadists as old, ridiculous, or inept and the main characters as in need of protection by a paternalistic state, leaving children, especially young men, underprepared for the recruiting efforts of such organisations. The books emphasise state intervention over child action, suggesting the books are directed more at Western investors in need of reassurance than at children, supporting the critique made by some observers that CVE is more about security theatre than preventing violence.

Effect of nutritional factors on urinary calcium excretion in a sample of Moroccan children and adolescents

In addition to age, gender, body weight, hormonal status as well as certain physiological and pathological states, other factors exert considerable effects on calcium (Ca) retention and therefore on its urinary excretion. Among these other factors, many dietary nutrients have all been discussed as factors affecting urinary Ca through different studies. Thus, our study aims to evaluate the impact of various nutritional factors on urinary Ca excretion among a sample of Moroccan children and adolescents aged from 6 to 18 years old. A total of 133 Moroccan children and adolescents aged between 6 and 18 years were involved in this study. Participants were required from public and private schools in Rabat-Salé-Kenitra region. For each participant, anthropometry data, food record and 24-h urine samples were collected. Urinary Ca was estimated using ICP-mass spectrometry. The urinary Ca average was 73.58±37.13 mg/day. Urinary Ca excretion had no significant association (p>0.05) with different studied nutrients (r=-0.082, r=0.118, r=-0.025, r=0.142, r=0.084, r=0.119 for Ca, proteins, vitamin D, sodium, phosphorus and magnesium intakes respectively).The current impact evaluation of various nutritional factors on urinary Ca excretion suggests that Ca requirement may be not influenced by nutrients intake but it is highly recommended for researchers to carry out more studies and define all factors that cause Ca deficiency in Moroccan children and adolescents.

Acute Respiratory Infections Epidemiology and Etiology in Hospitalized Moroccan Children under 15 Years

Introduction: Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are serious infections with multiple etiologies. Viral etiology is mostly common worldwide, especially in pediatric patients.Materials and methods: This study aims to describe epidemiology and etiology of ARIs in Moroccan children under 15 years old, through patients’ clinical features analysis and genetic detection of pathogens within 84 patients admitted to Hassan II regional hospital of Agadir, Morocco, from September 2015 to September 2016. Detection of pathogens was carried out using Multiplex real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) with Fast Track Diagnostic kit respiratory pathogens 21 plus.Results: Results gave 61.9% of positive viral and bacterial infections and 19.23% of co-infections by at least two pathogens. Males were mainly infected and the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was the most common in 53.8% of patients. Children aged less than 2 years were the most infected by ARIs pathogens, and especially by RSV virus. Concerning seasonality pattern, all ARIs pathogens showed a seasonal spreading mainly in winter.Conclusion: This study summarizes a great insight about epidemiology and etiology of ARIs among children under 15 years in Morocco. We observed that ARIs constituted a real health problem in infancy and the viruses are the commonest cause.