High prevalence of anemia in children and adult women in an urban population in southern Brazil.
This population-based study was designed to detect the prevalence of anemia in a healthy population of children (18 months to 7 years) and women (14 to 30 years) tested in 2006-2007 in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil as part of an effort to tackle this massive problem that still affects so many people in the XXI century. Anemia was defined according to the WHO. Capillary blood was measured and socioeconomic status was determined according to the Brazilian Association of Market Research Agencies. The median prevalence of anemia in 2198 children was 45.4% and in 1999 women 36.4%. Anemia decreased with age during childhood; although significantly more prevalent in lower classes individuals, it was also high in the upper classes. There are indirect evidences that the lack of iron supplementation and/or iron fortified food may play a role in it. Professionals and society wise measures of education have to be implemented in order to address possible biologic factors involved in childhood psychosocial development in southern Brazil.
Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. lsilla@hcpa.ufrgs.b
Lucia Mariano da Rocha
LM
Silla
Alice
A
Zelmanowicz
Ingrid
I
Mito
Mariana
M
Michalowski
Tania
T
Hellwing
Marco Antonio
MA
Shilling
João Ricardo
JR
Friedrisch
Christina M
CM
Bittar
Cristina Arthmar Mentz
CA
Albrecht
Elaine
E
Scapinello
Claudia
C
Conti
Marcia Arthmar Mentz
MA
Albrecht
Letícia
L
Baggio
Annelise
A
Pezzi
Bruna
B
Amorin
Vanessa
V
Valim
Laura
L
Fogliatto
Alessandra
A
Paz
Claudia
C
Astigarraga
Rosane Isabel
RI
Bittencourt
Gustavo
G
Fischer
Liane
L
Daudt
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult