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Iron-deficiency anemia among children in southwest Iran
Bijan Keikhaei1, Khodamorad Zandian, Ali Ghasemi
1Research Center for Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathy of Ahwaz, Iran. keikhaeib@yahoo.com
Insights
Iron-deficiency anemia is a significant health issue affecting nearly 30% of children under five in southwest Iran. This high prevalence highlights a critical nutritional and health problem requiring urgent attention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Nutrition Science
Background:
- Iron deficiency is a global health concern, particularly impacting developing nations.
- Iron-deficiency anemia poses significant risks to child development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To ascertain the prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia in children under five in southwest Iran.
- To examine the links between socioeconomic, demographic, cultural, and nutritional factors and iron-deficiency anemia.
Main Methods:
- A randomized, cross-sectional study involved 337 children aged 6-59 months in urban and rural Ahwaz.
- Measurements included height, weight, and birth data; blood samples were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Overall anemia prevalence was 43.9%, with iron-deficiency anemia at 29.1%.
- The 12-24 month age group showed the highest iron-deficiency anemia rates.
- In urban settings, infants aged 6-11 months had the highest prevalence.
Conclusions:
- The substantial prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia in this region signifies a critical public health and nutrition challenge.
- Targeted interventions are likely needed to address this widespread issue in young children.
Background:
Iron deficiency is a major health problem worldwide and especially in developing countries. Iron-deficiency anemia has adverse effects on the development of children.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia in children under 5 years of age in southwest Iran. The study also sought to investigate the association between socioeconomic, demographic, cultural, and nutritional factors and iron-deficiency anemia in the selected area.
Methods:
A randomized, cross-sectional study was performed of children 6 to 59 months of age living in urban and rural areas of Ahwaz District in Khuzestan Province. At eight randomly selected health centers, the children's height (or length) and weight were measured, and information on length and weight at birth was obtained from growth charts. Blood samples were taken from 337 randomly selected children.
Results:
The results showed that 43.9% of the children had anemia and 29.1% iron-deficiency anemia. The highest prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia was in the 12- to 24-month age group. In the urban areas, infants 6 to 11 months of age had the highest prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia.
Conclusions:
The high prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia among children in southwest Iran indicates a major nutrition and health problem.
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