Evidence

Although anaemia is a serious concern for children and adolescents (1–19 years), there is dearth of substantial data on its prevalence and its categorisation on the basis of micronutrient deficiencies. The Global Burden of Disease Study estimated the prevalence of anaemia in children under 5 years in India to be 59·7% in 2017. According to this study, prevention efforts should focus on strengthening the existing iron and folate supplementation programs and prevention of folate or vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia. This study uses data from the the first Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) to analyze the following anaemia-related parameters: haemoglobin, haemoglobin variants, ferritin, sTfR, folate, vitamin B12, and CRP (marker of inflammation). Haemoglobin concentrations were adjusted for altitude in survey enumeration areas higher than 1000m. The study employs age- and gender-specific criteria laid out in WHO guidelines for measuring anaemia. This study can inform health workers and implementers on the treatment and prevention of anaemia amongst children and adolescents.

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