Prevalence of anemia among children under 5 years (%)

Maternal, newborn, child & adolescent health

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Indicator name: 
 Prevalence of anaemia in children aged 6–59 months (%) 
Short name: 
 Anaemia prevalence in children    
Data type: 
 Percentage 
Indicator Id: 
 4801 

                            Topic:
                        

                                Risk factors
                            

                                Mortality and burden of disease
                            

Rationale:

Anaemia is highly prevalent globally, disproportionately affecting children and women of reproductive age. It negatively affects cognitive and motor development and work capacity, and among pregnant women iron deficiency anaemia is associated with adverse reproductive outcomes, including preterm delivery, low-birth-weight infants, and decreased iron stores for the baby, which may lead to impaired development. Iron deficiency is considered the most common cause of anaemia, but there are other nutritional and non-nutritional causes. Blood haemoglobin concentrations are affected by many factors, including altitude (metres above sea level), smoking, trimester of pregnancy, age and sex. Anaemia can be assessed by measuring blood haemoglobin, and when used in combination with other indicators of iron status, blood haemoglobin provides information about the severity of iron deficiency. The anaemia prevalence for the population is used to classify the public health significance of the problem.

Definition:

Percentage of children aged 6−59 months with a haemoglobin concentration less than 110 g/L, adjusted for altitude.

Method of measurement

The anaemia status of children is assessed using blood haemoglobin concentrations. In surveys, blood haemoglobin concentrations are typically measured using the direct cyanmethemoglobin method in a laboratory or with a portable, battery-operated, haemoglobin photometer in the field that uses the azide-methaemoglobin method.

M&E Framework:

Outcome

Method of estimation:

Prevalence of anaemia and/or mean haemoglobin in children under 5 years were obtained from 283 population-representative data sources from 111 countries worldwide. Data collected from 1990 to 2016 were used. A Bayesian hierarchical mixture model was used to estimate haemoglobin distributions and systematically addressed missing data, non-linear time trends, and representativeness of data sources. Full details on data sources will be available in WHO’s forthcoming report on anaemia prevalence: Trends in anaemia in women and children: 1995 to 2016 (WHO, 2017). Full details on statistical methods may be found here: Global, regional, and national trends in haemoglobin concentration and prevalence of total and severe anaemia in children and pregnant and non-pregnant women for 1995–2011: a systematic analysis of population-representative data (Stevens et al, 2013).

Other possible data sources:

Surveillance systems

Preferred data sources:

Population-based surveys

Unit Multiplier:

Expected frequency of data dissemination:

Every 5 years

Expected frequency of data collection:

Every 3-5 years

Links:

Truncated - A draft framework for the global monitoring of the Comprehensive Implementation Plan on Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition. Informal Consultation with Member States and UN Agencies on a Proposed Set of Indicators for the Global Monitor

Haemoglobin concentrations for the diagnosis of anaemia and assessment of severity. Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition Information System. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2011 (accessed 29 March 2015).