The Department of Medical Chemistry at the University of Al-Qadisiyah’s College of Medicine examined a master’s thesis titled “Prevalence and Correlates of Vitamin D, Zinc, Iron, Vitamin B12, and Folate Deficiencies in Children Aged 6–12 Years in Selected Iraqi Regions.” The research was conducted by Ali Jassim Shawi under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Buthaina Abbas Al-Azzawi.

The thesis aimed to measure serum levels of Vitamin D, zinc, iron, Vitamin B12, folate, and C-reactive protein (CRP) in children aged 6–12 years. It also sought to study the impact of residence and gender on the levels of these biomarkers and to evaluate the relationships and correlations between them.

The study results revealed low Vitamin D levels among both males and females across all studied regions. Iron levels were lowest among females in urban areas, while Vitamin B12 showed the greatest geographical variation among the study locations.

The thesis recommended the adoption of integrated nutritional and health interventions to reduce micronutrient deficiencies in children. These measures include promoting dietary diversity, utilizing targeted supplementation programs when necessary, and strengthening infection control measures.