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. 2013 Oct;16(10):1751-9.
doi: 10.1017/S1368980012005617. Epub 2013 Feb 1.

Anaemia and iron deficiency between 2003 and 2007 in Amazonian children under 2 years of age: trends and associated factors

Fernanda Serra Granado  1 , Rosangela Aparecida Augusto, Pascoal Torres Muniz, Marly Augusto Cardoso; ACTION Study Team
Collaborators, Affiliations

Anaemia and iron deficiency between 2003 and 2007 in Amazonian children under 2 years of age: trends and associated factors

Fernanda Serra Granado et al. Public Health Nutr. 2013 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: To describe trends in the prevalence of anaemia and Fe deficiency in children under 2 years of age living in a town in western Brazilian Amazonia.

Design: Temporal analysis of two cross-sectional population-based surveys. Information on socio-economic status, morbidity and breast-feeding was obtained using a structured questionnaire. Child weight and length were measured for anthropometric evaluation. Concentrations of blood Hb, plasma ferritin and soluble transferrin receptor were measured.

Setting: The town of Acrelândia, state of Acre, north-west Brazil.

Subjects: A total of 170 and 224 participants of the 2003 and 2007 surveys, respectively.

Results: Comparison between the 2003 and 2007 surveys revealed no statistically significant differences in the prevalence of anaemia (48 (95% CI 39, 56)% to 40 (95% CI 33, 47)%) or Fe-deficiency anaemia (39 (95% CI 30, 48)% to 37 (95% CI 30, 45)%), respectively. However, an increase in the overall prevalence of Fe deficiency from 62 (95% CI 51, 68)% to 81 (95% CI 75, 86)% was observed (χ2 test, P≤0.001). In age- and sex-adjusted analyses for risk of Fe deficiency, only early introduction of cow's milk (<90 d) was associated with Fe deficiency in 2003 (prevalence ratio (PR)=0.76; 95% CI 0.57, 1.01), while caesarean section (PR=1.18; 95% CI 1.03, 1.35) and birth weight <3500 g (PR=1.15; 95% CI 1.00, 1.34) were associated with Fe deficiency in 2007.

Conclusions: No improvements were observed in the prevalence of anaemia, exposing a worrying scenario for public health, while a significant increase was found in the prevalence of Fe deficiency in the studied infants and toddlers.

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References

    1. World Health Organization (2001) Iron Deficiency Anaemia: Assessment, Prevention and Control. A Guide for Programme Managers. WHO/NHD/0.13. Geneva: WHO.
    1. World Health Organization (2004) Assessing the Iron Status of Populations. Geneva: WHO.
    1. Ministério da Saúde (2008) PNDS 2006 – National Demographic and Health of Children and Women . Brasília: Ministry of Health.
    1. World Health Organization (2008) Worldwide Prevalence of Anaemia 1993–2005. WHO Global Database on Anaemia . Geneva: WHO.
    1. International Nutrition Foundation & Micronutrient Initiative (1998) Preventing Iron Deficiency in Women and Children: Technical Consensus on Key Issues and Resources for Programme Advocacy, Planning and Implementation. UNICEF/WHO/UNU/MI Technical Workshop, UNICEF, New York, 7–9 October 1998. Boston, MA and Ottawa, ON: INF and MI.

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