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Published on: January 19, 2024
Anemia and feeding practices among infants in rural Shaanxi Province in China
Renfu Luo1, Yaojiang Shi2, Huan Zhou3
1Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. Jia 11, Datun Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100101, China. luorf.ccap@igsnrr.ac.cn.
Insights
Anemia affects over half of infants in rural China. Breastfeeding beyond six months and formula feeding correlate with lower anemia risk, suggesting a need for iron supplementation.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Anemia, particularly iron deficiency anemia, is a significant global health issue affecting infants.
- Adverse consequences of anemia in infants underscore the need for prevalence studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of anemia in infants aged 6-11 months in poor rural China.
- To identify factors associated with anemia in this vulnerable population.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 948 infants (6-11 months) in rural Shaanxi Province, China.
- Hemoglobin (Hb) levels assessed via finger prick blood test.
- Household surveys collected data on feeding practices and demographics.
Main Results:
- High anemia prevalence: 54.3% of infants were anemic.
- Moderate to severe anemia affected 24.3% of the sample.
- Prolonged breastfeeding (>6 months) was linked to lower Hb and higher anemia rates (p < 0.01).
- Formula feeding was associated with higher Hb and lower anemia prevalence (p < 0.01).
Conclusions:
- Infants in poor rural China exhibit a high prevalence of anemia.
- Feeding practices, specifically prolonged breastfeeding and formula use, significantly impact anemia status.
- Interventions like iron supplementation or home fortification during breastfeeding are recommended.
Abstract:
Anemia is one of the most prevalent public health problems among infants and iron deficiency anemia has been related to many adverse consequences. The overall goal of this study is to examine the prevalence of anemia among infants in poor rural China and to identify correlates of anemia. In April 2013, we randomly sampled 948 infants aged 6-11 months living in 351 villages across 174 townships in nationally-designated poverty counties in rural areas of southern Shaanxi Province, China. Infants were administered a finger prick blood test for hemoglobin (Hb). Anthropometric measurement and household survey of demographic characteristics and feeding practices were conducted in the survey. We found that 54.3% of 6-11 month old infants in poor rural China are anemic, and 24.3% of sample infants suffer from moderate or severe anemia. We find that children still breastfed over 6 months of age had lower Hb concentrations and higher anemia prevalence than their non-breastfeeding counterparts (p < 0.01), and that children who had ever been formula-fed had significantly higher Hb concentrations and lower anemia prevalence than their non-formula-fed counterparts (p < 0.01). The results suggest the importance of iron supplementation or home fortification while breastfeeding.
