Unmasking India’s Hidden Crisis: Anemia’s Devastating Impact on Women, Children and the Nation at large.

Anemia is a major health problem among the females in developing countries. The World Health Organization global estimates of anemia prevalence averaged 56%, with a range of 35%–75% depending on geographic location. In India, the prevalence of anemia is 62%. Women of reproductive age are the most at risk for anemia. The data of National Family Health Survey-3 shows that anemia is particularly high 65.3% in all women (15–49 years). Therefore, it is important to assess anemia which is a risk for pregnancy-related complications, including greater risk for having a preterm delivery or low-birth-weight baby and also burdens the mother by increasing the risk of blood loss during labor and making it more difficult to fight infections. Anemia affects more than 500 million women of reproductive age globally and it is a major public health challenge for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) with a long-term negative effect on the health of women, their children, and the economic growth.

Anaemia in the reproductive age of women is defined as the haemoglobin level of less than 11 g per decilitre. In modern lifestyle, leading to crash diet and race of zero figure body image. Girls tend to follow all internet fad diets.  The deficiency of micronutrients like iron, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin A, and folic acid is linked to inadequate nutrient consumption and is the primary predictor of anaemia. In addition, large-scale studies have found that low socioeconomic status and lack of education are major determinants of anaemia in women. Uneducated women have poor knowledge of the quality and nutritional content of the foods they consume .High fertility, physical work, parasite infections, and menstrual disorders are similarly responsible for anaemia in women.

Anemia in women of reproductive age has a tremendous effect on the women such as; loss of productivity due to reduced work capacity, cognitive impairment, increased susceptibility to infections due to its effect in immunity, stillbirth/miscarriage, and maternal mortality. Besides, anemia in women of reproductive age can result in poor feto-neonatal outcomes such as preterm birth, low birth weight, depletion of the iron stores of the newborn, and in general, it may end up with infant/child mortality.

the prevention and control of anaemia at all stages of the life cycle, and plans to include the nutrition‐specific interventions listed below.

Supplementation

  • Daily or intermittent oral iron, vitamins, or any other mineral (especially vitamin B12, folate, vitamin A, or provitamin A, but also vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, etc.) supplementation alone or in combination

Fortification

  • Fortification of foods with vitamins and minerals (e.g. iron, folate, vitamin B12, zinc, vitamin A) alone or in combination Use of multiple micronutrient powders (sprinkles or point of use fortification) Provision of supplementary foods containing macronutrients (e.g. protein supplementation) alone or in combination with micronutrients (e.g. lipid‐based nutrition supplements) Provision of fortified complementary foods Provisions of fortified staple foods or beverages (i.e. water) with micronutrients Provision of micronutrient, biofortified foods with increased contents of micronutrients (e.g. iron, zinc, vitamin A)

Improving dietary diversity and quality

  • Increasing food variety through nutrition education and provision of foods rich in minerals and vitamins such as fruits, vegetables, and iron‐rich foods (i.e. read meat, proteins) Nutrition education and use of iron‐pot cooking and fish‐shaped iron ingots General nutrition education and counselling (e.g. increasing the intake of micronutrient absorption factors and decreasing inhibitors of micronutrient absorption)
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