HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Related articles in AJCN Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Cusick, S. E Articles by Cogswell, M. E Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cusick, S. E Articles by Cogswell, M. E Agricola Articles by Cusick, S. E Articles by Cogswell, M. E

Unexplained decline in the prevalence of anemia among US children and women between 1988–1994 and 1999–2002^1,2,3

¹ From the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (SEC, ZM, DSF, and MEC); National Center for Health Statistics (ACL and CLO) and National Center for Environmental Health (EG), Atlanta, GA

See corresponding editorial on page 1457.

² The findings and conclusions in this manuscript are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

³ Reprints not available. Address correspondence to SE Cusick, 4770 Buford Highway, MS K-25, Atlanta, GA 30341. E-mail: scusick{at}cdc.gov.

Background: The current anemia burden among US preschool children and women of childbearing age has not been documented.

Objective: We used data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 1988–1994 and 1999–2002 to examine recent anemia changes.

Design: We calculated the prevalence of anemia (hemoglobin < 11.0 g/dL at <24 mo, <11.1 g/dL at 24–59 mo, and <12.0 g/dL for women), iron deficiency anemia (anemia plus abnormal value 2: serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, and erythrocyte protoporphyrin), and high blood lead (10 µg/dL) with anemia among children 12–59 mo and women 20–49 y in both surveys. Among women, we also calculated the prevalence of folate deficiency (erythrocyte folate < 317.2 nmol/L) with anemia and high C-reactive protein (>10 mg/L) with anemia. Multiple logistic regression was used to compare anemia prevalence between surveys, with control for race and age.

Results: Anemia declined significantly in children (from 8.0% to 3.6%; OR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.3, 0.7) and women (10.8% to 6.9%; OR: 0.6; CI: 0.4, 0.7), but the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia did not change significantly in children (1.5% compared with 1.2%; OR: 0.7; 95% CI: 0.4, 1.5) or women (4.9% compared with 4.1%; OR: 0.8; 95% CI: 0.6, 1.1). Folate deficiency with anemia declined significantly in women (from 4.1% to 0.5%; OR: 0.1; 95% CI: 0.1, 0.2), but logistic regression models and standardization indicated that none of the known possible anemia causes could account for the decline in total anemia in children or women.

Conclusions: The prevalence of anemia declined significantly among US women and children between 1988–1994 and 1999–2002, but this decline was not associated with changes in iron or folate deficiency, inflammation, or high blood lead.

Related articles in AJCN:

Anemia in at-risk populations—what should be our focus?

Donald H Mahoney, Jr
AJCN 2008 88: 1457-1458. [Full Text]  

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. A Eicher-Miller, A. C Mason, C. M Weaver, G. P McCabe, and C. J Boushey Food insecurity is associated with iron deficiency anemia in US adolescents Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, November 1, 2009; 90(5): 1358 - 1371. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. H Mahoney Jr Anemia in at-risk populations--what should be our focus? Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, December 1, 2008; 88(6): 1457 - 1458. [Full Text] [PDF]