Epidemiology

According to the CDC, the tables below show the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in the U.S. from 1988 to 2000.



"Iron Deficiency Anemia," by Anthony Lopez et al., published in The Lancet, found on PubMed, confirms these findings from the CDC.  The article agrees that child bearing age women and young children/toddlers are the most at risk for iron deficiency anemia. 


The charts show that the populations most at risk for iron deficiency anemia are toddlers (1-2 yo) and females of child bearing age (12-49).  Iron deficiency anemia is two times higher among non-Hispanic black and Mexican-American females than white women (Iron).  

Table 1.

Prevalence of anaemia, iron deficiency, and iron deficiency anaemia

	Prevalence (%)
Anaemia
General population20	32·9
Men (15–60 years)21	12·7
School-age children (>5 years)21	25·4
Elderly (>60 years)21	23·9
Preschool children (0–5 years)22	43·0
Non-pregnant women and girls (15–49 years)22	29·0
Pregnant women and girls (15–49 years)22	38·0
Iron deficiency
Children (<2 years)23	9·0
Children (3–5 years)24	4·5
Adolescent girls (12–19 years)24	15·6
Women (20–49 years)24	15·7
Pregnant women and girls (12–59 years)25	18·0
Iron deficiency anaemia
General population26	12·2
Hospital-based population27	23·0

"Between 1995 and 2011, worldwide prevalence of anemia decreased by 4–5% in children aged 0–5 years, non-pregnant women, and pregnant women aged 15–49 years" the article reported (Lopez et al).

The United States has the lowest percentage of cases of iron deficiency anemia worldwide.  It is much more common in third world countries. Specifically central and south Asia and andean South America have high percentages of this disease world wide (Lopez et al).

Search Terms: iron deficiency anemia epidemiology
Works Cited:
Iron Deficiency--United States, 1999-2000. (2002, October 11). Retrieved September 28, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5140a1.htm

Lopez, A ., et al., (2015, August 24). Iron Deficiency Anemia. Retrieved September 28, 2015, from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673615608650.