Prevalence and risk factors in iron deficiency and anemia

Iron deficiency anemia is nowadays the world most prevalent nutritional problem. Several studies concerning anemia prevalence were carried out in Brazil with pregnant women and children aged less than 5 years, restricted mainly to northeast and southeast regions of the country. More recently, groups other than those of pregnant women and children aged less than 5 years, such as school children and adolescents, have become the target of those concerned with the issue. The differences found out among the groups and the diversity of methodologies employed, prevent us from reaching an evolutionary profile concerning nutritional anemia in Brazil. However, the high rates of prevalence verified by the various studies carried out are enough for justifying the general interest in controlling and/or eradicating the disease. This paper presents a model of causal determination of anemia, that points out the diet as the principal immediate factor. The typical Brazilian diet is poor in bioavailable iron. The two foods--meat and beans--responsible for the totality of this mineral in the habitual Brazilian diet have been registering a decreasing intake in the last decades. Iron deficiency is also observed in the food practice of infants and children aged less than 5 years. This situation justifying the urgency in finding an effective intervention to control this relevant nutritional problem.