Iron deficiency and anemia in school children and adolescents

A survey of iron status of school children and adolescents was carried out in 1990. Subjects were 371 school children (189 males and 182 females) aged 7 to 12.9 years and 352 school teenagers (169 males and 183 females) aged 13 to 19.9 years from Taichung County and Pingtung County. Venous blood was collected and concentrations of hemoglobin, plasma transferrin and plasma ferritin were measured. Diagnosis of anemia was based on FAO/WHO (Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization) criteria of hemoglobin values. Iron deficiency was defined as ferritin levels < 12 micrograms/L. For subjects of primary school ages, the rate of iron deficiency in boys was 2% in Pingtung and 0% in Taichung, and that in girls was 3.33% in Pingtung and 2.17% in Taichung. For teenage subjects, the rate of iron deficiency in males was 1.22% in Pingtung and 0% in Taichung, and that in females was 9.38% in Pingtung and 26.4% in Taichung. For subjects of primary school ages, the anemia rate in boys was 5% in Pingtung and 3.37% in Taichung, and that of girls was 5.56% in Pingtung and 1.09% in Taichung. For teenage subjects, the anemia rate in males was 3.66% in Pingtung and 3.45% in Taichung, and that in females was 8.33% in Pingtung and 5.75% in Taichung. In both areas, iron deficiency was more prevalent in females than in males, and the highest rate occurred in teenage girls. Iron deficiency was not the major underlying cause of anemia and iron deficiency anemia was relatively rare (< 2%). Teenage girls are identified as a group at risk of iron deficiency and anemia.