title: [Prevalence and factors associated with iron deficiency in infants treated at a primary care center in Belém, Pará, Brazil].
abstract: The objective was to verify the occurrence of iron deficiency and associated factors in infants. This cross-sectional study included 365 infants (defined here as 6-24 months of age) treated at a primary care center in Belém, Pará, Brazil. Iron-deficiency anemia (hemoglobin < 11 g/dl and ferritin < 12 microg/l) was diagnosed in 55.1% of the sample, depletion of body iron reserves (hemoglobin < 11 g/dl and ferritin < 12 microg/l) in 15.3%, and iron sufficiency (hemoglobin < 11 g/dl and ferritin < 12 microg/l) in 18.1%. The results of the logistic regression model showed associations between iron deficiency (ferritin < 12 microg/l) and: 6-12 month age group, OR (odds ratio) = 3.67 and 95% CI: 1.93-7.04; non-utilization of iron-fortified formula as the first milk used after interrupting breastfeeding, OR = 1.93 and 95%CI: 1.04-3.60; and per capita income < or = 1 minimum wage, OR = 2.69 and 95%CI: 1.30-5.59. The occurrence of iron deficiency was high, showing the need to adopt effective measures to prevent this important public health problem.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Saúde Integrada, Universidade do Estado do Pará, Belém, Brasil.
authors.forename: Márcia Bitar Portella
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Neves
authors.forename: Edina Mariko Koga
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Mauro Batista
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: de Morais
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D005293:Ferritins