Prevalence and Causes of Anemia in Children in Kiryat Shmoneh, Israel

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Anemia was found in 52% of 247 healthy children aged 1 day to 6 years examined in Kiryat Shmoneh. Subnormal serum iron concentration and whole blood folate activity were found in 41 and 53% of these children, respectively. The prevalence of the anemia and of the iron and folate deficiencies rose from birth to the age of 2–3 years, after which it declined gradually. The anemia in children born to anemic mothers was much more frequent than among those delivered by nonanemic women. Poor iron and folate stores at birth, malnutrition, and frequent gastrointestinal infections may have contributed to the widespread deficiency state observed in this group of children.