Anemia in India

What is Anemia

Literally any condition involving a decrease in the hemoglobin level of the blood below normal. Anemia is a medical condition in which the red blood cell count or hemoglobin is less than normal. The normal level of hemoglobin is generally different in males and females. For men, anemia is typically defined as hemoglobin level of less than 13.5 gram/100ml and in women as hemoglobin of less than 12.0 gram/100ml. These definitions may vary slightly depending on the source and the laboratory reference used.

Symptoms of Anemia

1. Tiredness.
2. Fatigue easily.
3. Pale appearance
4. Palpitations development (Feeling of heart racing)
5. Becoming short of breathing
6. Hair loss (Some time)
7. Sense of feeling not well
8. Frequent infections.

      Types of Anemia

1. Anemia due to iron deficiency.(Most common)
2. Folate deficiency anemia.
3. Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia.(Pernicious anemia)
4. Anemia due to genetic disorder.

        Reasons of Anemia

1.      Blood loss.
2.      Poor blood Cells production.
3.      High rate of blood cells destruction.
4.      Inherited blood disorders.
5.      Menstruation.
6.      Diet not rich with iron.
7.      Eating excessive junk food.
8.      Nutritional gap due to imbalance of diet.

Anemia and India

Estimates suggest that over one third of the world’s population suffers from anemia, mostly iron deficiency anemia. India continues to be one of the countries with very high prevalence. National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3) reveals the prevalence of anemia to be 70-80% in children, 70% in pregnant women and 24% in adult men. Prevalence of anemia in India is high because of low dietary intake, poor availability of iron and chronic blood loss due to hook worm infestation and malaria. While anemia has well known adverse effects on physical and cognitive performance of individuals, the true toll of iron deficiency anemia lies in the ill-effects on maternal and fetal health. Poor nutritional status and anemia in pregnancy have consequences that extend over generations.

In order to tackle this pressing public health problem, a multi-pronged 12 x 12 initiative has been launched in the country. The initiative is targeted at all adolescents across the country with the aim for achieving hemoglobin level of 12 gm% by the age of 12 years by 2012. The important elements of the initiative are as follows:

1. Capacity building.
2. Health and nutritional education.
3. Increase iron intake in diet.
4. Supplementation of iron and folic acid.

What are the normal hemoglobin values 

• Children                                 11-13 gm/dl
• Adult males                           14-18 gm/dl
• Adult females                        12-16 gm/dl
• Males after middle age      12-15 gm/dl
• Females after middle age   12-14 gm/dl

      (Note:- All of these values may vary slightly between laboratories.)

Solution for anemia

Please refer to the link.