title: Anemia, Iron Deficiency and Iodine Deficiency among Nepalese School Children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess iodine and iron nutritional status among Nepalese school children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional, community based study was conducted in the two districts, Ilam (hilly region) and Udayapur (plain region) of eastern Nepal. A total of 759 school children aged 6-13 y from different schools within the study areas were randomly enrolled. A total of 759 urine samples and 316 blood samples were collected. Blood hemoglobin level, serum iron, total iron binding capacity and urinary iodine concentration was measured. Percentage of transferrin saturation was calculated using serum iron and total iron binding capacity values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean level of hemoglobin, serum iron, total iron binding capacity, transferrin saturation and median urinary iodine excretion were 12.29 ± 1.85 g/dl, 70.45 ± 34.46 μg/dl, 386.48 ± 62.48 μg/dl, 19.94 ± 12.07 % and 274.67 μg/L respectively. Anemia, iron deficiency and iodine deficiency (urinary iodine excretion <100 μg/L) were present in 34.5 %, 43.4 % and 12.6 % children respectively. Insufficient urinary iodine excretion (urinary iodine excretion <100 μg/L) was common in anemic and iron deficient children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Iron deficiency and anemia are common in Nepalese children, whereas, iodine nutrition is more than adequate. Low urinary iodine excretion was common in iron deficiency and anemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Central Institute of Science and Technology (CIST) College, Pokhara University, Kathmandu, 44600, Nepal. khatiwadasaroj22@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Saroj
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khatiwada
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Ghopa, Dharan, Nepal.
authors.forename: Madhab
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lamsal
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Ghopa, Dharan, Nepal.
authors.forename: Basanta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gelal
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Ghopa, Dharan, Nepal.
authors.forename: Sharad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gautam
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Ghopa, Dharan, Nepal.
authors.forename: Ashwini Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Nepal
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Society and Health, Buckinghamshire University, Buckinghamshire, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brodie
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Ghopa, Dharan, Nepal.
authors.forename: Nirmal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Baral
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007455:Iodine / Q000172:deficiency*; D007501:Iron; D008297:Male; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D009752:Nutritional Status
chemical_list: D007455:Iodine; D007501:Iron
keywords: Anemia; Iodine deficiency; Iron deficiency; Nepal; School children