Anemia is a condition in which a person lacks enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to the body’s tissues or simply manifests when your blood doesn’t have enough red blood cells. The most common type of which is Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA). According to the Expanded National Nutrition Survey of DOST-FNRI (2019), 1 in every 3 children under 2 years old suffers Anemia. Despite the decline in the prevalence from 2018 (39.4) to 2019 (29.3), Anemia is still a moderate public health concern among under 2 years of age. Prevalence of anemia in children less than 2 years is higher among rural areas (33.9) and poor (37.9) and poorest (34.3) wealth status.
Generally, a person with anemia, like IDA, may experience fatigue, a fast or irregular heartbeat and chest pain along with pale skin, weakness, shortness of breath, headaches, and dizziness or light-headedness. There are other forms of anemia which causes specific telltale symptoms, such as Aplastic anemia which can cause a fever, frequent infections, and skin rashes; Folic acid deficiency anemia or folate deficiency anemia (a type of megaloblastic anemia aside from pernicious anemia, macrocytic anemia and Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia) that can cause irritability, diarrhea, and a smooth tongue; Hemolytic anemia that can cause jaundice, dark urine, a fever, and abdominal pain; and Sickle cell anemia that can cause painful swelling in the feet and hands, as well as fatigue and jaundice.
As many factors can be attributed by the increase risk of anemia such as consumption of foods low in vitamin B-12 and folate, intestinal disorders, menstruation, pregnancy, chronic conditions, such as cancer, kidney failure or diabetes, family history of anemia, history of infection, blood diseases, hemorrhoids, autoimmune disorders, and old age like people over 65 years old, poor or lack of iron-rich food consumption and parasitic infestations usually are the most popular to increase the risk of anemia. With these, eating foods rich in iron can greatly contribute to the prevention of anemia. Iron found in foods comes in two forms, the heme and non-heme iron. Heme iron can be found in animal products like red meat (beef, pork, lamb, goat), seafood (fatty fish), and poultry (Chicken meat, eggs). On the other hand, non-heme iron can be found in plants and iron fortified products. Some sources of non-heme iron include iron-fortified cereals, tofu, beans, lentils, and dark green leafy vegetables. Other examples of iron rich foods are shellfish, spinach, liver and other organ meats, legumes, and tofu. Studies also confirmed that iron absorption can be boosted by including a source of vitamin C when eating plant sources of iron (non-heme), thus, it is recommended to eat Vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables include citrus fruits such as oranges, berries, papaya, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and cabbages. It is also discouraged to drink tea and coffee while on iron supplements as this will hamper iron absorption.
-PNC-ZDN Rowence F. Zorilla
References:
1. Anemia
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20351360#:~:text=Anemia%20is%20a%20condition%20in,each%20with%20its%20own%20cause
2. What to Know About Anemia
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158800#symptoms
3. Anemia
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20351360#:~:text=Anemia%20is%20a%20condition%20in,each%20with%20its%20own%20cause
4. 12 Healthy Foods That Are High in Iron
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/healthy-iron-rich-foods#The-bottom-line
5. Iron
https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/vitamins-minerals/iron.html#:~:text=If%20your%20child%20does%20not,cause%20is%20not%20enough%20iron.
6. Expanded National Nutrition Survey 2019
http://enutrition.fnri.dost.gov.ph/site/uploads/2019%20ENNS%20Results%20Dissemination_Nutritional%20Status%20and%20Feeding%20%20Practices%20of%20Children%20Under%202.pdf