2023-08-14 05:01:05
Iron deficiency is identified as one of the triggers for anemia, however, addressing the underlying causes of anemia such as malaria, chronic kidney disease, and tropical diseases are a necessary step to lessen its effect.
It is estimated that a quarter of the world population is anemic with a greater number of cases among women, pregnant women and children under 5 years of age, according to a recent study on the global burden of anemia, published in The Lancet. Hematology’ and conducted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), based in Seattle (USA).
According to the data provided, in 2021, 1.920 million people worldwide had anemia, concentrated, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. This is an increase of 420 million cases in three decades. Anemia is the third leading cause of years with disability lived in the world.
The new study covers three decades of global anemia data (1990-2021) and offers a complex picture of how several key factors influence the divergence of cases among men, women, and children. Globally, in 2021, 31.2% of women had anemia compared to 17.5% of men. The gender difference was most pronounced during reproductive age, between 15 and 49 years. In this age group, the prevalence of anemia in women was 33.7% versus 11.3% in men.
“Our data shows how one group (adult men) has fared much better than two other groups, women (ages 15-49) and children under 5 years of age. This speaks to the need for a shift towards multi-sectoral approaches and greater cultural awareness to ensure that women and children are not left behind.“, indicated the prof. Will Gardner, IHME researcher and lead author of the paper.
“From this study, we know that the global picture around anemia has improved, but large disparities still exist when narrowing the focus to geography, gender and age.”explained, for his part, Nick Kassebaum, lead author of the study and head of the IHME Neonatal and Child Health team.
Previous studies have shown that anemia is associated with higher rates of anxiety and depression and higher rates of preterm birth, postpartum hemorrhage, low birth weight, short gestation, stillbirth, and infections for both the child and the mother.
Main causes and impact
According to the data provided by the recent study, the main cause of anemia in 2021 was iron deficiency in the diet, which constitutes 66.2% of all cases of anemia, with 825 million women and 444 million men. affected men around the world. Inadequate iron intake may have been the most common cause of anemia, but many other conditions are the main drivers of anemia.
The authors also found that gynecologic disorders and maternal bleeding contributed significantly to the burden of anemia among women of reproductive age. Among children under 5 years of age, the leading cause of anemia was dietary iron deficiency, but hemoglobinopathies, other infectious diseases, HIV/AIDS, and malaria also contributed significantly in geographic locations where these diseases are prevalent. prevalent.
Research shows that sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia currently face the greatest burden. In 2021, western sub-Saharan Africa (47.4%), southern Asia (35.7%), and central sub-Saharan Africa (35.7%) had the highest prevalence of anemia. The regions with the lowest anemia are Australasia (5.7%), Western Europe (6%) and North America (6.8%).
“It is very important that doctors treat these causes in parallel with the anemia itself. We hope they will use this data to design more comprehensive intervention and treatment plans, especially for the most vulnerable: women of reproductive age, children, and the elderly.Kassebaum remarked. L.D.B. (SyM)
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