Microcytic anaemia predominates in adolescent school girls in the delta region of Myanmar.
OBJECTIVE
Anaemia is one of major nutritional problems in Myanmar affecting all age groups. However, there is lack of recent information and a study was conducted to acquire information on the current status of anaemia among adolescent schoolgirls in Nyaung Done township, Ayeyarwady division where an intervention study was planned.


METHODS
A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 1269 subjects to obtain complete blood count, anthropometry and socioeconomic characteristics were obtained by questionnaire. Using red cell indices, we applied Bessman's, and Green and King's index classification to differentiate the types of anaemia. Electrophoresis was also done on a subsample (n=228).


RESULTS
Stunting was 21.2% and wasting was 10.7% respectively. Prevalence of anaemia was 59.1% and was mainly microcytic. Green and King's index showed 35.8% were iron deficient. Electrophoresis revealed 36 cases of Hb E haemoglobinopathy in the subsample.


CONCLUSIONS
Anaemia is still a major nutrition problem in Myanmar. The reasons for this high prevalence should be explored and properly addressed. The study highlights the need for a comprehensive and large scale survey for the anaemia control programme in Myanmar.
South East Asian Ministers of Education Organization, Regional Center for Food and Nutrition, University of Indonesia, Salemba Raya 6, Jakarta, Indonesia. kyawhtet@gmail.com
Min Kyaw
MK
Htet
Drupadi
D
Dillon
Arwin
A
Akib
Budi
B
Utomo
Umi
U
Fahmida
David I
DI
Thurnham
D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D006446:Hemoglobin E / Q000032:analysis; D006453:Hemoglobinopathies / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D002052:Myanmar / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D019282:Wasting Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology
D006446:Hemoglobin E