Prevalence and Determinants of Anemia and Iron Deficiency in Kuwait

Sameer Al Zenki, Husam Alomirah, Suad Al Hooti, Nawal Al Hamad, Robert T. Jackson, Aravinda Rao, Nasser Al Jahmah, Ina'am Al Obaid, Jameela Al Ghanim, Mona Al Somaie, Sahar Zaghloul and Amani Al Othman
Additional contact information
Sameer Al Zenki: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait
Husam Alomirah: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait
Suad Al Hooti: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait
Nawal Al Hamad: Food and Nutrition Administration, Ministry of Health, P.O. Box 24225, Safat 13103, Kuwait
Robert T. Jackson: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Aravinda Rao: Ministry of Health, Medical Laboratories Services, Sabah Hospital Laboratories, P.O. Box 24225, Safat 13103, Kuwait
Nasser Al Jahmah: Ministry of Health, Medical Laboratories Services, Sabah Hospital Laboratories, P.O. Box 24225, Safat 13103, Kuwait
Ina'am Al Obaid: Ministry of Health, Medical Laboratories Services, Sabah Hospital Laboratories, P.O. Box 24225, Safat 13103, Kuwait
Jameela Al Ghanim: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait
Mona Al Somaie: Food and Nutrition Administration, Ministry of Health, P.O. Box 24225, Safat 13103, Kuwait
Sahar Zaghloul: National Nutrition Institute, 16 Kasr El Aini Street, P.O Box11311, Cairo, Egypt
Amani Al Othman: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait

IJERPH, 2015, vol. 12, issue 8, 1-10

Abstract: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency (ID) of a nationally representative sample of the Kuwait population. We also determined if anemia differed by socioeconomic status or by RBC folate and vitamins A and B12 levels. The subjects who were made up of 1830 males and females between the ages of 2 months to 86 years, were divided into the following age groups (0–5, 5–11, 12–14, 15–19, 20–49, ?50 years). Results showed that the prevalence of anemia was 3% in adult males and 17% in females. The prevalence of ID varied according to age between 4% (?50 years) and 21% (5–11 years) and 9% (12–14 years) and 23% (15–19 years), respectively, in males and females. The prevalence of anemia and ID was higher in females compared to males. Adults with normal ferritin level, but with low RBC folate and vitamins A and B12 levels had higher prevalence of anemia than those with normal RBC folate and vitamins A and B12 levels. This first nationally representative nutrition and health survey in Kuwait indicated that anemia and ID are prevalent and ID contributes significantly to anemia prevalence.

Keywords: epidemiology; public health; RBC folate; vitamin A (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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