THE PREVALENCE OF IRON DEPLETION AND IRON-DEFICIENCY ANEMIA IN A RANDOMLY SELECTED GROUP OF INFANTS FROM 4 CANADIAN CITIES

Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of iron depletion and iro n deficiency anaemia, and factors affecting the prevalence, in healthy infants living in 4 Canadian cities. The study was cross-sectional an d included 428 randomly selected evaluable subjects, ages 8 - 15 month s. Multiple comparison showed no significant differences in mean hemog lobin, ferritin or free erythrocyte protoporphyrin results among the 4 cities. Only 4.3% of the sample were anaemic (Hb < 110 g/L and ferrit in less than or equal to 10 mu g/L or free erythrocyte protoporphyrin greater than or equal to 100 mu g/L). We concluded that the rate of ir on deficiency anaemia is low in healthy urban infants. Screening for t his group is unnecessary.