Prevalence of anaemia among rural pre-school children of West Bengal, India

Abstract

Background: Micronutrient malnutrition is a major public health nutritional problem in India, and iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) continues to be a major nutritional problem of public health significance, affecting all physiological groups, of which rural pre-school children are the most vulnerable.

Aim: The main aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of anaemia among rural pre-school children.

Subjects and methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in rural areas of West Bengal State during 2002–2003. A total of 437 pre-school children were covered for the estimation of blood haemoglobin levels.

Results: A majority (81%) of the rural children of West Bengal were anaemic, and the prevalence was significantly (p<0.001) higher among 1–3-year-old (91%) as compared to 4–5-year-old (74.6%) children. A significantly (p<0.01) higher proportion of 1+ (OR=7.7; 95% CI: 2.6–22.4) and 2+ year children (OR=3.0; 95% CI: 1.5–6.0) and those belonging to lower socio-economic Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities were at risk for anaemia (OR=2.3; 95% CI 1.3–3.9).

Conclusions: The prevalence of anaemia is a severe nutritional problem of public health significance. Therefore, iron supplementation and health and nutrition education programmes should be strengthened. The community needs to be encouraged to diversify their diets by consuming iron-fortified and iron-rich foods.

Keywords::

• Anaemia
• iron deficiency anaemia
• pre-school children
• micronutrients
• West Bengal

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr Bandopadhyay, Medical Officer and Ms Sudeshna Maitra, Nutritionist, National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau West Bengal State Unit. We also thank Dr Mallikarjuna Rao K, Galreddy CH, Sharad Kumar, Ravindranath M and all the staff of Division of Community Studies for their technicatwdb "icon_box"?=1,^wdb boxit "No Position/Target Please Check"trun -1l help, and Miss Sarala, Mr Hanumantha Rao G and Mrs Prashanthi G for secretarial support.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.