Journal of Nutrition
Volume 133, Issue 12, 2003, Pages 4143-4149

Iron Deficiency Is Unacceptably High in Refugee Children from Burma (Conference Paper)

Kemmer T.M.* , Bovill M.E. , Kongsomboon W. , Hansch S.J. , Geisler K.L. , Cheney C. , Shell-Duncan B.K. , Drewnowski A.
  • a Ctr. Disaster/Humanit. Assit. Med., Dept. of Mil. and Emergency Medicine, Uniformed Serv. Univ. Hlth. Sci., Bethesda, MD, United States, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
  • b Military Nutrition Division, U.S. Army Res. Inst. Environ. Med., Natick, MA, United States
  • c Relief and Community Health Bureau, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, Thailand
  • d Ctr. Disaster/Humanit. Assit. Med., Dept. of Mil. and Emergency Medicine, Uniformed Serv. Univ. Hlth. Sci., Bethesda, MD, United States, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
  • e Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
  • f World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
  • g School of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
  • h Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States

Abstract

Iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) in refugees is reported to be among the major medical problems worldwide. Because food rations are typically inadequate in iron, long-term reliance is a key predictor of anemia among displaced people. Comprehensive nutritional assessments of refugee children from Burma have not previously been completed. Refugee children aged 6-59 mo were studied to determine 1) the prevalences of anemia, iron deficiency (ID) and IDA and 2) the factors associated with anemia and ID. Cluster sampling in three camps and convenience sampling in two additional camps were used. Hemoglobin (Hb) levels were measured and μmol zinc protoporphyrin/mol heme were determined in 975 children. Logistic regression analyses (95% CI) determined predictors of anemia and ID. The prevalences of IDA, anemia and ID in these refugee children were 64.9, 72.0 and 85.4%, respectively. Predictors of anemia included young age (P < 0.001), food ration lasting <1 mo (P = 0.001), daily consumption of dietary iron inhibitors (P < 0.05), weight-for-height Z-score of <-2 (P < 0.05), male gender (P < 0.05) and uneducated father (P < 0.001). Predictors of ID were young age (P < 0.001) and recently reported illness (P < 0.05). Laboratory tests confirmed that anemia and ID are major health problems among these refugee children and that ID is the leading cause of anemia. A comprehensive nutrition and public health-focused approach to combating anemia and ID is essential. Following the presentation of results to policy makers, the improvement of the micronutrient content of rations has been initiated.

Author Keywords

Zinc protoporphyrin Micronutrient Iron deficiency Anemia Refugee

Index Keywords

refugee iron deficiency anemia demography human Refugees child nutrition health status Logistic Models hemoglobin determination Humans Anemia, Iron-Deficiency male iron deficiency preschool child female Infant Child, Preschool Myanmar Conference Paper prevalence Deficiency Diseases major clinical study age distribution iron hemoglobin disease severity nutritional status Iron, Dietary dietary intake nutrient protoporphyrin zinc
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0344738780&partnerID=40&md5=702c32f04be744f1bda0e1845afe86eb
ISSN: 00223166
Cited by: 35
Original Language: English