Iron deficiency and anemia among Indian women in Fiji.
In June 1979, 245 Hindu and 240 Moslem women of childbearing age (14-45 yr) living in a semi-rural area north of Lautoka were tested for anemia and for iron-deficiency. Ninety-six (39%) of the 245 Hindu women and 77 (32%) of the 240 Moslem women were anemic according to World Health Organization criteria. Most of the cases of anemia were due to iron-deficiency. The prevalence of anemia did not change significantly with advancing age or increasing parity. Hookworm ova were found on examination of a single specimen of feces in 27 (14%) of 195 Hindu and 50 (24%) of 209 Moslem women. The presence of hookworm did not correlate with anemia. The red cell folate level was less than 160 micrograms/l in 117 (24%) of 478 women and the serum vitamin B12 level was less than 100 ng/l in 47 (10%) of 476 women. Subnormal levels of these vitamins did not correlate with anemia. The serum ferritin was determined to assess tissue iron stores. Two-hundred-and-twenty-four (46%) of 484 Indian women tested had serum ferritin values of less than 10 microgram/l; 400 (83%) had ferritin values of less than 26 microgram/l. The high prevalence of iron deficiency appears to be due predominantly to dietary factors.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D005367:Fiji; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D012424:Rural Population
D006454:Hemoglobins; D005293:Ferritins