Epidemiology

The global prevalence of anemia is reported to be approximately 33%, and iron deficiency is the most common cause.[2][3]

The prevalence of IDA varies widely across different regions of the world, with the lowest prevalence in higher income regions (e.g., North America and western Europe) and highest prevalence in lower income regions (e.g., southern Asia and Caribbean).[3][5][6][7]

IDA is more common in young children (e.g., due to increased iron requirements during growth, and inadequate dietary iron intake) and premenopausal women (e.g., due to increased iron loss through menstrual bleeding or pregnancy).[6][8][9][10] In the US, the prevalence of IDA is reported to be 3% in infants ages 1 to 2 years; 3% to 5% in nonpregnant women ages 16 to 49 years; 2% in nonpregnant women ages 50 to 69 years; and <1% in men ages 16 to 69 years (based on National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey [NHANES] data from 1988 to 1994).[6][8] In pregnant women ages 12 to 49 years, the prevalence of IDA is reported to be 2.6% (based on NHANES data from 1999 and 2010).[9] Prevalence of IDA in the first, second, and third trimesters is reported to be 5.3%, 12.7%, and 27.5%, respectively.[8][9] In nonpregnant women ages 15 to 49 years, the prevalence of IDA is reported to be 11.8% in non-Hispanic black people, 8.5% in Mexican people, and 3% in non-Hispanic white people (based on NHANES data from 2007 to 2010).[9]

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