Iron deficiency is a more important cause of anemia than hemoglobinopathies in Kuwaiti adolescent girls

Anemia is the most prevalent nutritional problem worldwide, due mainly to i ron deficiency. Studies of anemia are less common in adolescents than in wo men and children. We examined anemia prevalence in adolescent Kuwaiti schoo lgirls, and its association with hemoglobinopathies as well as the most com mon environmental cause, Fe deficiency, A cross-sectional sample of 1051 he althy adolescent schoolgirls was studied. Sample size was based on WHO crit eria. Anemia, Fe deficiency and hemoglobin (Hb) variations were studied by Hb concentration, erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP) and an HPLC quantitation, respectively. Of the subjects sampled, 30% were anemic. Mildly elevated EP values were found in 68%. Girls with high EP levels were more likely (P < 0.001) to be anemic than girls with normal EP. Up to 25% of the girls may h ave had Fe deficiency anemia. Hemoglobinopathies were neither prevalent nor significantly associated with anemia, These data indicate that environment al factors play a significant role in anemia among healthy, well-to-do Kuwa iti adolescent girls.