P143 - IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA IN CHILDREN FROM LATIN AMERICA

P143

IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA IN CHILDREN FROM LATIN AMERICA

R. E. Cruz^1,*, E. J. Nava-Gonzalez², N. G. Valenzuela-Rubio³ on behalf of Grupo de investigación del CIENUT (GIVE)

¹Instituto IIDENUT, Lima, Peru, ²Facultad de Salud Pública y Nutrición, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, ³Facultad de Ciencias de la Nutrición y Gastronomía, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa , Culiacán, Mexico

Rationale: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in children can result from increased iron requirements, low intake, malabsorption, elevated losses, and, rarely, plasma transport defects. It is particularly concerning in early childhood due to its impact on neurodevelopment, cognition, and long-term health.

Methods: This narrative review examined recent evidence on IDA in Latin American children, focusing on prevalence, risk factors, health consequences, and prevention and treatment strategies. A narrative review was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and SciELO for articles and institutional reports published in English or Spanish from 2018 onwards. Studies with regional or country-level data were included using keywords in English and Spanish such as “iron deficiency anemia,” “prevalence,” “risk factors,” “Latin America,” “children,” and “public health.”

Results: Marked variability was found in age group classifications and prevalence data. For instance, Peru reports prevalence in children aged 6–36 months (3), while Mexico reports for those aged 12–48 months. Prevalence rates also differ greatly: Ecuador reports 38.2% (ages 6–59 months), while Mexico reports 9.1% (ages 24–59 months). Additionally, most countries lack updated nutrition surveys; only Ecuador, Peru, and Mexico had data from the last two years.

Conclusion: Iron deficiency anemia remains a critical public health issue in Latin America, disproportionately affecting children in low- and middle-income countries. Updated, standardized data and targeted interventions are essential to guide effective public policies and reduce the burden of IDA in the region.

References:         1. Leung AKC, Lam JM, Wong AHC, Hon KL, Li X. Iron Deficiency Anemia: An Updated Review. Curr Pediatr Rev. 2024;20(3):339-356. doi: 10.2174/1573396320666230727102042. PMID: 37497686

        2. Vallée L. Fer et neurodéveloppement [Iron and Neurodevelopment]. Arch Pediatr. 2017 May;24(5S):5S18-5S22. French. doi: 10.1016/S0929-693X(17)24005-6. PMID: 28622777.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared