MICRONUTRIENT DEFICIENCY IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: CURRENT STATE OF THE PROBLEM, CLINICAL CONSEQUENCES, AND PREVENTION STRATEGIES

Micronutrient deficiency remains one of the most prevalent forms of nutrition-related pathology in children and adolescents and is recognized as a significant risk factor for impaired physical growth, cognitive development, and immune function. This review provides an analytical overview of publications from 2015 to 2024 addressing the prevalence of iron, iodine, vitamin D, zinc, and selenium deficiencies in the pediatric population. Regional characteristics of the CIS countries and Central Asia are discussed, and comparative trends over the past decade are analyzed. The pathogenetic mechanisms of micronutrient deficiencies affecting neuroplasticity, thyroid regulation, hematopoiesis, and immune response are examined in detail. Combined deficiencies are shown to exert synergistic adverse effects, increasing the severity of clinical manifestations and reducing adaptive capacity. Modern laboratory diagnostic approaches, including assessment of serum ferritin, 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, and urinary iodine concentration, are analyzed. The necessity of a comprehensive preventive strategy based on food fortification, targeted micronutrient supplementation in high-risk groups, and systematic nutritional monitoring of children and adolescents is substantiated. The findings emphasize the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to addressing micronutrient deficiencies in pediatric practice.