[Prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia in the Basque Country]

To describe the prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in the Basque Country by age group and sex and to identify the main groups at risk.

Cross-sectional study.

Basque Country.

School-aged population of Bilbao (n = 762); further education students of San Sebastian (n = 372); adult population of the Basque Country (n = 2348) and elderly population of Bilbao, institutionalized (n = 154) and free living people (n = 410). Every sample was drafted by random sampling methods.

Blood samples were collected by venopunction after 10-12 h. fasting, according to the same protocol. Haematological and biochemical analytes were assessed in the reference laboratory for the Basque Country, which followed internal and external quality control programs during that period. Iron deficiency anaemia was defined according to the criteria from the Spanish Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (SENPE).

Prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in school-aged children was 0.6% for boys and 0.7% for girls, with the highest rate for girls aged 12-14 years (2.3%). Men aged 25-60 years showed a prevalence rate of 0.1% and women in the same age group 2.1%. Younger women, 25-34 years, showed the highest prevalence in this age group (2.9%). Among elderly people, overall prevalence was 0.4%, although people aged 80 years and over was affected more frequently.

The prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in the Basque Country is low though it is relatively frequent among young women and very old people. Both population subgroups should be monitored.