Anaemia in children is a major public health problem throughout the world. It is estimated that at least one-third of the population has been at one-time anemic. It is often multifactorial, iron deficiency being the most frequent etiology and reasons like malaria endemicity, poor nutrition including micronutrient deficiency, haemoglobinopathies, frequent bacterial infections and high parasitic infestations have been given for these high prevalence rates. The ranges for Hb were first derived from 554 subjects in whom laboratory values for serum iron/iron-binding capacity, mean corpuscular volume, and erythrocyte protoporphyrin were all normal (≥16%, ≥80 fl, and ≤75 µg/dl red blood cells, respectively). Using these reference standards, the prevalence of Anaemia (Hb values below the 95% reference range for age and sex) among the 354 subjects with complete laboratory results was highest in infants (5.8%), teenage girls (5.10%), young women (5.9%), and elderly men (4.5%). Chronic Anaemia may impair growth, cardiac function and cognitive development in infants but other consequences are rather poorly explored more thoroughly. Chronic disorders and iron deficiency were the most common causes of Anaemia. Anaemia was frequently diagnosed in this series of elderly patients. Partly treatable nutritional deficiencies, such as iron or folate deficiency, were identified as possible causes. A complex and heterogeneous interplay of chronic inflammation, functional iron deficiency, and renal impairment was identified in a large proportion of patients. Measures directed at prevention and control of anemia, include increased coverage of supplementation and fortification programs are strongly recommended.

Keywords: Anaemia, iron-deficiency hemoglobin, prevalence of Anaemia, hemoglobin.

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Dr Sushil Kumar Sharma

Assist. Prof, Department of Physiology, VIMS Gajrola (UP) India

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