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. Design: Cross-sectional, comprising a household, health and nutrition survey and determination of Hb, biochemical (serum concentrations of ferritin, retinol, C-reactive protein and α 1 -acid glycoprotein) and anthropometric parameters. Multivariate logistic regression examined associations of various factors with anaemia and micronutrient deficiencies. Setting: Kalalé district, northern Benin. Subjects: 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.

Age and altitude of residence determine anemia prevalence in Peruvian 6 to 35 months old children

“…Considering the three Peruvian natural regions (highlands, rainforest, coast), anemia is more prevalent in the rainforest (13.5%) and reduced in frequency in the highlands (3.3%, p<0.0001, Table 7). Children living in the rainforest are more likely to be anemic because they have the lowest access to continuous public sewage and water services [76], a higher incidence of diarrheal diseases [77], a higher risk for malaria [78], greater low protein food consumption [79], an insufficiently nutrient-dense diet for children [80], less access to clean drinking water, and more often frequency to open defecation and soil-transmitted helminthes [81]. That is why it is misleading to use the WHO Hb cutoff values, which show no difference between highlands (52.4%) and rainforest (53.8%, p = 0.395) regions in anemia prevalence, and is opposite from what we found in our analysis.…”

Differentials in prevalence and correlates of metabolic risk factors of non-communicable diseases among women in sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from 33 countries

“…Anemia is an age-long public-health problem, particularly among the disadvantaged population in developing countries [ 19 – 21 ]. The prevalence of anemia is a vital health indicator for the measurements of maternal health outcomes [ 20 ]. Study on the magnitude of anemia and its determinants in vulnerable groups, such as women of reproductive age is essential for evidence-based intervention modalities, particularly in developing countries, where women suffer from micronutrient deficiencies and shortage of food [ 21 ].…”

Using structural equation modelling to understand the contributors to anaemia among young Burkinabe children

“…Studies have highlighted the contribution of several household‐, mother‐, and child‐level factors to child anaemia in different contexts. These include household use of unsafe drinking water (Ngnie‐Teta, Receveur, & Kuate‐Defo, ); maternal anaemia (Alaofè, Burney, Naylor, & Taren, ), and suboptimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices (Alaofè et al, ; Woldie, Kebede, & Tariku, ); and child subclinical inflammation (Rawat et al, ), malaria infection (Calis et al, ; Magalhaes & Clements, ; Righetti et al, ), wasting (Calis et al, , underweight (Rawat et al, ), and micronutrient deficiencies (Calis et al, ; Pasricha et al, ; Rawat et al, ). In Burkina Faso up to 70% of children 6‐12 months tested positive for malaria in 2010/2011, only 3% met minimum dietary diversity, 18% and 9% had consumed vitamin A‐ or iron‐rich foods in the past 24 hr, and only 14% lived in households with access to improved latrines (Institut National de la Statistique et de la Démographie [INSD] et ICF International, ).…”

“…Thus, we hypothesized that many of these factors played a role in child anaemia in Burkina Faso, as well as other factors outlined in the Lancet framework for optimal fetal and child nutrition and development (Black et al, ). Additional factors related to child anaemia include child age and sex (Alaofè et al, ; Cornet et al, ; Diouf et al, ; Ngnie‐Teta et al, ; Rawat et al, ; Semedo, Santos, Baião, Luiz, & da Veiga, ; Siegel et al, ; Woldie et al, ), maternal age (Alaofè et al, ; Semedo et al, ) and education (Calis et al, ; Diouf et al, ; Woldie et al, ), and household socio‐economic status (SES; Ngnie‐Teta et al, ; Semedo et al, ; Siegel et al, ; Woldie et al, ).…”