Overview of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Iranian Children and Adolescents

Introduction: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a significant global health issue, particularly affecting children and adolescents. The present study aims to review the existing research on the prevalence of IDA and ID in Iranian children and adolescents.Methods: Online databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, DOAJ, CIVILICA, and Google Scholar search engine were searched for related systematic reviews as well as reviews up to February 2024. Two reviewers evaluated the quality of eligible studies and carried out the selection procedure.Results: Five systematic reviews and on review (involving 158 studies) were selected. Results showed that the overall prevalence of ID and IDA in the Iranian children and adolescents is 24.18% (ranged 17.95-27.7%), and 16.73% (ranged 10.6-21.4%), respectively. Also, The prevalence of IDA was 7.9% (95% CI: 4.1–11.7) in males and 8.5% (95% CI: 6.1–10.8) among females aged under than 18 years. In children under 6 years, the prevalence of ID and IDA was found to be 27.7% and 18.2%, respectively. Notably, boys had a higher prevalence of IDA at 17.7% compared to girls at 14.4%. Recent data highlights the differences in prevalence rates among genders, age groups, and geographical locations. In addition, several factors such as age (< 2 years), family size (large families), maternal factors (children born to anemic mothers or those with low birth weight), and dietary habits (a lack of iron-fortified milk consumption) contribute to the risk of developing IDA. Conclusion: The overall prevalence of IDA varies widely in children and adolescents are affected. By promoting awareness about dietary needs and implementing effective screening programs, healthcare providers can significantly reduce the incidence of IDA in younger populations.

Overview of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Iranian Children and Adolescents Keywords:

iron deficiency anemia , Iran , children , adolescents , Prevalence