Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 4, 2025
Author Spotlight: Developing a Point-of-Care Hemoglobin Estimation Method for Anemia Management
Published on: January 19, 2024
Prevalence of Iron Deficiency and its Sociodemographic Patterning in Indian Children and Adolescents: Findings from
Bharati Kulkarni1, Rajini Peter1, Santu Ghosh2
1ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad, India.
Insights
Iron deficiency (ID) affects nearly a third of young Indian children and adolescent girls, with higher rates in urban and wealthier populations. Addressing poverty-related factors is crucial for effective intervention beyond just increasing iron intake.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Epidemiology
- Public Health Nutrition
- Pediatric Nutrition
Background:
- Anemia control programs in India primarily measure hemoglobin in response to iron-folic acid supplementation.
- Representative national estimates of iron deficiency (ID) are lacking, hindering targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the prevalence of iron deficiency (ID) in Indian children and adolescents aged 1-19 years.
- To examine the sociodemographic patterns associated with ID in this population.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of cross-sectional data from the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (n > 32,000).
- Inflammation-adjusted ID prevalence determined using serum ferritin (SF) levels.
- Multiple-regression analyses identified associations between iron status and sociodemographic indicators.
Main Results:
- ID prevalence was 31.9% in 1-4 year olds and 30.4% in adolescent girls.
- Prevalence was higher in urban participants and those from richer wealth quintiles across all age groups.
- Impaired iron utilization for hemoglobin synthesis was observed in poorer wealth quintiles.
Conclusions:
- Iron deficiency poses a moderate public health problem in preschool children and adolescent girls in India.
- Interventions must address environmental constraints related to poverty, not solely focus on increasing iron intake.
- Significant variations in ID prevalence by state and age necessitate tailored public health strategies.
Background:
Anemia control programs in India focus mainly on the measurement of hemoglobin in response to iron-folic acid supplementation. However, representative national estimates of iron deficiency (ID) are not available.
Objectives:
The objective of the present study was to evaluate ID prevalence among children and adolescents (1-19 y) using nationally representative data and to examine the sociodemographic patterning of ID.
Methods:
Cross-sectional data from the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey in children (1-4 y: n = 9635; 5-9 y: n = 11,938) and adolescents (10-19 y; n = 11,507) on serum ferritin (SF) and other biomarkers were analyzed to determine inflammation-adjusted ID prevalence [SF (μg/L): <12 in 1-4 y and <15 in 5-19 y] and its relation to sociodemographic indicators. Multiple-regression analyses were conducted to identify the exposure associations of iron status. In addition, the relation between SF and hemoglobin was assessed as an indicator of iron utilization in different wealth quintiles.
Results:
ID prevalence was higher in 1- to 4-y-old children (31.9%; 95% CI: 31.0%, 32.8%) and adolescent girls (30.4%; 95% CI: 29.3%, 31.5%) but lower in adolescent boys and 5- to 9-y-old children (11%-15%). In all age groups, ID prevalence was higher in urban than in rural participants (1-4 y: 41% compared with 29%) and in those from richer quintiles (1-4 y: 44% in richest compared with 22% in poorest), despite adjustment for relevant confounders. SF significantly interacted with the wealth index, with declining trends in the strength of association between hemoglobin and SF from the richest to the poorest groups suggesting impaired iron utilization for hemoglobin synthesis in poorer wealth quintiles.
Conclusions:
ID prevalence was indicative of moderate (in preschool children and adolescent girls) or mild (in 5- to 9-y-old children and adolescent boys) public health problem with significant variation by state and age. Focusing on increasing iron intake alone, without addressing the multiple environmental constraints related to poverty, may not result in intended benefits.
More Related Videos
03:35Determining Gender-Based Differences in Retinal and Choroidal Thickness in Underweight Individuals via Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography
Published on: December 1, 2023
08:45Quantitating Iron Transport Across the Mouse Placenta In Vivo Using Nonradioactive Iron Isotopes
Published on: May 10, 2022
Related Concept Videos
01:08Prevalence and Incidence
Prevalence indicates the proportion of individuals in a population who have a specific disease or health...
01:29Assessment of the Gastrointestinal System II: Health Perception Pattern
Health Perception Patterns
Health perception patterns offer valuable insights into a patient's lifestyle habits and how they may impact their GI health. These patterns include:
01:30Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Diagnostic Studies and Management I-Nutritional Therapy
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the...
01:27Parentral Nutrition: Centeral and Peripheral Parental Nutrition
PN can be administered through two primary routes:
1. Central Parenteral Nutrition (CPN):
CPN involves delivering a high concentration of nutrients through a large vein. This is typically achieved using a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) or,...
01:24Factors Affecting Erythropoiesis
Several factors influence the erythrocyte production rate, with tissue oxygen level being among the most critical. Intense exercise or high altitudes can cause tissue hypoxia, which triggers the kidneys to release more erythropoietin (EPO) into the bloodstream.
EPO then...
01:23Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption