Abstract
BackgroundAnaemia is associated with increased maternal and neonatal mortality, with young children most at risk of developing long-term ramifications. Most previous studies have been geographically limited with little detail about severity or aetiology. In this analysis, we completed the most comprehensive survey of anaemia burden to date. MethodsUsing publicly available data, we estimated mild, moderate, and severe anaemia in 1990 and 2010 for 187 countries, both sexes, and 20 age groups. We then performed cause-specific attribution to 17 conditions using data and resources of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors (GBD) Study 2010. FindingsGlobal anaemia prevalence in 2010 was 32·9%, causing 68·36 million years lived with disability (95% CI 40·98–107·54 million; 8·8% of the total for all conditions, 95% CI 6·3–11·7). Prevalence dropped for both sexes from 1990 to 2010, though more so for males. Females' prevalence was higher in most regions and age groups. South Asia and central, west, and east sub-Saharan Africa had the highest burden, while east, southeast, and south Asia saw the greatest reductions. Ten different conditions were among the top three in prevalence, depending on the region. Malaria, schistosomiasis, and chronic kidney disease-related anaemia were the only conditions to increase in prevalence. Haemoglobinopathies made significant contributions to the anaemia burden in both sexes, most regions, and all time periods. Burden was highest in children under 5 years old, the only age groups with negative trends from 1990 to 2010. InterpretationAnaemia is a heterogeneous and complex condition. Despite significant progress, many challenges remain. Regional differences remain stark, some conditions are growing as a proportion of overall anaemia, the gender gap is widening, and the total disease burden remains high. Worryingly, young children, the most vulnerable group, appear to be doing worse over the past 20 years. Targeted surveillance and intervention in high-risk populations should be a greater priority. FundingFunding for GBD 2010 was provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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