Prevalência E Fatores Associados À Anemia Em Crianças De Creches: Uma Análise Hierarquizada

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence and factors associated with anemia in children younger than five years old enrolled in public daycare centers in a city in southwestern Bahia, in the northeast of Brazil.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that included a sample of 677 children enrolled in public daycare centers in Vitória da Conquista, Bahia, Brazil. A portable hemoglobinometer was used to measure hemoglobin. The concentration of <11 g/dL was considered the cutoff point for a diagnosis of anemia. A questionnaire was applied to parents/guardians in order to collect socioeconomic data, maternal characteristics and information on the child’s health and nutrition. Height and weight were measured to assess the child’s nutritional status. Poisson regression with robust variance and hierarchical selection of variables was used to identify factors associated with anemia. Results: The prevalence of anemia was 10.2% and was more frequent in children whose homes had no sanitary facilities (PR 3.36; 95%CI 1.40-8.03); in those who did not exclusively breastfeed (PR 1.80; 95%CI 1.12-2.91); in children aged less than 36 months (PR 1.85; 95%CI 1.19-2.89) and those who had low height for age (PR 2.06; 95%CI 1.10-3.85).Conclusions: The prevalence of anemia is considered to be a mild public health problem in the children, who are enrolled in daycare centers. Children with inadequate sanitary conditions, and that were not exclusively breastfed, as well as younger children and children with a nutritional deficit, were more likely to present the condition.

Prevalence of anemia and its associated factors among children under five years of age attending at Guguftu health center, South Wollo, Northeast Ethiopia

“…The observed higher prevalence of anemia among children with early (<6 months) introduction of complementary foods was consistent with previous studies [11, 41]. Complementing breast milk before 6 months of age reduces the bioavailability of iron by up to 80%; the early introductions of complementary foods like cow's milk interfering in the absorption of iron in the breast milk because cow's milk has excess protein and minerals notably calcium and most digestive enzymes are inadequate at this age.…”

Estado nutricional de crianças em amamentação exclusiva prolongada no Estado de Pernambuco

“…Although there are no statistically significant differences between the two groups, the prevalence found in both groups is indicative of the fact that, due to its magnitude, anemia is an important problem in children, affecting approximately 60% of the sample evaluated. It would be further confirmation that this is the most generalized deficiency problem prevalent in Brazilian children 23,24 , as in children around the world 16 . Therefore, the admirably favorable picture described in relation to the state of caloric-protein nutrition and the vitamin A situation does not reproduce in relation to the anemia.…”

Iron Deficiency Anemia and Its Relationship With Socioeconomic Vulnerability

“…In addition, the dietary intake of children over two years of age is no longer based on breast milk, being similar to adult eating habits in composition and consistency, which reflects a consumption of greater amounts of source foods, as well as foods fortified with iron, which translates into the decrease in prevalence found in studies that analyzed the presence of anemia in childhood. 6,15 When comparing the percentage of childhood anemia in Brazil, there is a different situation from other developing countries, such as Vietnam, Benin and Mali, with prevalence rates of 45.1, 82 and 83%, respectively. 16,17 The same occurs in different regions of Brazil: cities with different HDIs exhibit high prevalence of nutritional deficiencies.…”