Prevalence and risk factors of iron deficiency anemia among children; A systematic review

Abstract

Background: Iron deficiency anemia refers to a reduction in red blood cells below the normal; it is the most severe form of iron deficiency. Iron deficiency anemia negatively affects children as it affects the brain, central nervous system, and immunological system of children. Aim: To assess the prevalence and risk factors of iron deficiency anemia among children by reviewing the previous studies focused on this subject. Methods: The scientific databases of PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Elsevier, Science Direct, and Research Gate were explored to search for articles concerned with our subject. The search process was limited to articles published between 2017 and 2023. The search terms used in the search process were \"IDA, Prevalence, Risk factors, Determinants, Paediatrics, Children.\" The inclusion criteria were original English articles conducted on children and reported prevalence and/or risk factors of iron deficiency anemia. Results: A total of 2660 articles were obtained, and only ten articles were eligible for the inclusion criteria. The studies included a total number of 12055 children from seven countries. The prevalence range was 7.7% to 71.22%, and the risk factors included gender, anemic mother, stunting, poor dietary diversity, and others. Conclusion: A high prevalence of IDA was found among children throughout different countries. The risk factors for IDA were various and differed between the different studies.