@article{MRA, author = {Zuguo Mei and Laurence Grummer-Strawn}, title = { The magnitude and distribution across countries of iron deficiency using serum/plasma ferritin}, journal = {Medical Research Archives}, volume = {7}, number = {12}, year = {2019}, keywords = {}, abstract = {Background: In 2004, World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the use of serum ferritin as a primary indicator of iron deficiency. However, there was limited data on the magnitude and distribution of iron deficiency based on ferritin. Objective: To describe the prevalence of iron deficiency as measured by serum/plasma ferritin in different regions of the world and its relationship with demographic and health indicators. Methods: Data from the Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation and Nutrition Determinants of Anemia and the WHO Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition Information System Micronutrients Database were used for this analysis. Unadjusted and inflammation-adjusted low ferritin prevalence were calculated for both databases. The prevalence of low ferritin among preschool children and non-pregnant women was examined according to its relationship with national gross domestic product (GDP), infant mortality rate (IMR), and anemia rate. Results: In children, the median inflammation-adjusted prevalence of low ferritin was 35.3% (1st and 3rd quartiles: 17.5% and 48.1%). In non-pregnant women, the median inflammation-adjusted prevalence of low ferritin was 28.4% (1st and 3rd quartiles: 21.4% and 42.0%). For both children and women, the correlation between the prevalence of low ferritin and GDP, IMR, or anemia was consistently stronger using inflammation-adjusted prevalences than when using unadjusted prevalences. Conclusions: The quartile values of low ferritin prevalence for children and non-pregnant women could be used to define the severity of ferritin as a public health problem.}, issn = {2375-1924}, doi = {10.18103/mra.v7i12.2027}, url = {https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/2027} }