title: Prevalence of anaemia, deficiencies of iron and vitamin A and their determinants in rural women and young children: a cross-sectional study in Kalalé district of northern Benin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the magnitude of anaemia and deficiencies of Fe (ID) and vitamin A (VAD) and their associated factors among rural women and children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, comprising a household, health and nutrition survey and determination of Hb, biochemical (serum concentrations of ferritin, retinol, C-reactive protein and α1-acid glycoprotein) and anthropometric parameters. Multivariate logistic regression examined associations of various factors with anaemia and micronutrient deficiencies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Kalalé district, northern Benin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mother-child pairs (n 767): non-pregnant women of reproductive age (15-49 years) and children 6-59 months old.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In women, the overall prevalence of anaemia, ID, Fe-deficiency anaemia (IDA) and VAD was 47·7, 18·3, 11·3 and 17·7 %, respectively. A similar pattern for anaemia (82·4 %), ID (23·6 %) and IDA (21·2 %) was observed among children, while VAD was greater at 33·6 %. Greater risk of anaemia, ID and VAD was found for low maternal education, maternal farming activity, maternal health status, low food diversity, lack of fruits and vegetables consumption, low protein foods consumption, high infection, anthropometric deficits, large family size, poor sanitary conditions and low socio-economic status. Strong differences were also observed by ethnicity, women's group participation and source of information. Finally, age had a significant effect in children, with those aged 6-23 months having the highest risk for anaemia and those aged 12-23 months at risk for ID and IDA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anaemia, ID and VAD were high among rural women and their children in northern Benin, although ID accounted for a small proportion of anaemia. Multicentre studies in various parts of the country are needed to substantiate the present results, so that appropriate and beneficial strategies for micronutrient supplementation and interventions to improve food diversity and quality can be planned.
authors.affiliation: 1Health Promotion Sciences Department,Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health,University of Arizona,1295 N. Martin Avenue,Campus PO Box 245163,Tucson,AZ 85724,USA.
authors.forename: Halimatou
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alaofè
authors.affiliation: 2School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS),University of California,San Diego,La Jolla,CA,USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burney
authors.affiliation: 3School of Earth,Energy & Environmental Sciences,Stanford University,Stanford,CA,USA.
authors.forename: Rosamond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Naylor
authors.affiliation: 1Health Promotion Sciences Department,Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health,University of Arizona,1295 N. Martin Avenue,Campus PO Box 245163,Tucson,AZ 85724,USA.
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Taren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000886:Anthropometry; D001541:Benin / Q000453:epidemiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065228:Non-Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009961:Orosomucoid / Q000378:metabolism; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D009961:Orosomucoid; D014801:Vitamin A; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron
keywords: Anaemia; Benin; Children; Iron deficiency; Vitamin A deficiency; Women