| According to the newly revealed NFHS-5 statistics, the prevalence of anaemia has increased among children, women of all ages, including pregnant women, and males. With a few exceptions, this increase in prevalence was recorded in practically all states. However, there are concerns about the cut-offs and how they may be causing over-diagnosis. |
Haemoglobin in the blood is required to transport oxygen to the body’s tissues. Anaemia is a condition in which the quantity of red blood cells or the concentration of haemoglobin within blood cells is lower than usual, resulting in a reduced capacity of blood to transport oxygen throughout the body. As a result, the individual suffers from symptoms such as weakness, dizziness, weariness, shortness of breath, and so on. The ideal blood haemoglobin concentration varies with age, gender, altitude, pregnancy, and smoking habits. The most prevalent causes of the syndrome include nutritional deficiencies such as iron, vitamin B12, vitamin A, and folate insufficiency, infectious diseases such as malaria, TB, and HIV, acquired disorders, and parasite infections.
Anaemia is a severe global public health problem that disproportionately affects young children and pregnant women. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the prevalence of anaemia among women of reproductive age (aged 1549 years) is calculated as the percentage of women in that age group who have a haemoglobin concentration of less than 120 g/L or 12 g/dL for non-pregnant and lactating women, and less than 110 g/L or 11 g/dL for pregnant women, after adjusting for altitude and smoking. Similarly, the prevalence among children (aged 6 to 59 months) is estimated as the percentage of children in that age group who have a haemoglobin concentration less than 110 g/L or 11 g/dL, adjusted for altitude.
In 2019, the WHO estimated that the global prevalence of anaemia was 39.8% among children aged 6 to 59 months and 36.5% among pregnant women. In 2019, 29.9% of women of reproductive age were anaemic. According to the WHO dashboard, the prevalence of anaemia among women of reproductive age in India was 53% in 2019, ranking fifth worldwide behind Yemen, Mali, Benin, and Nigeria. In India, the frequency among children aged 6 to 59 months was 53.4%.
The NFHS Survey analyses the prevalence of anaemia:
The Union Health Ministry has revealed the primary findings of the National Family Health Survey’s two phases, which were conducted between 2019 and 2021. The fifth edition of the NFHS includes 6.1 lakh sample houses from across the country. The sample size for the survey varies by state due to population and age composition variances. The representative survey also collects blood samples from all males (15 to 54 years old) and women (15 to 49 years old) who voluntarily consent to the testing to determine the prevalence of anaemia among men, women, and children. Parents or guardians must offer approval for children aged 6 to 59 months.
Anaemia is classified as follows by the NFHS:
| Age Group | No Anemia | Mild Anemia | Moderate Anemia | Severe Anemia |
| Children 6–59 months of age | ≥11 | 10–10.9 | 7–9.9 | <7 |
| Children 5–11 years of age | ≥ 11.5 | 11–11.4 | 8–10.9 | <8 |
| Children 12–14 years of age | ≥12 | 11–11.9 | 8–10.9 | <8 |
| Non-pregnant women (15 years of age and above) | ≥12 | 11–11.9 | 8–10.9 | <8 |
| Pregnant women | ≥11 | 10–10.9 | 7–9.9 | <7 |
| Men | ≥13 | 11–12.9 | 8–10.9 | <8 |
Those who are found to have severe anaemia following testing are directed to local health care facilities for evaluation and treatment.
In the previous five years, the prevalence of anaemia among women and children has increased: The findings of the NFHS-5 survey at the national level show that the prevalence of anaemia among women and children has increased since the previous NFHS-4 survey in 2015-16, about 4 years ago. Anaemia has increased by 1.8 percentage points among pregnant women, 3.9 percentage points among all women of reproductive age, and 5 percentage points among teenage women. The increase among youngsters is the biggest at 8.5 percentage points, bringing it closer to the levels seen in NFHS-3 in 2005-06, when the prevalence was 70%.
| S.no | Classification | NFHS-5 | NFHS-4 | ||
| Urban | Rural | Total | |||
| 1. | Children age 6-59 months who are anaemic (<11.0 gm/dl) | 64.2 | 68.3 | 67.1 | 58.6 |
| 2. | Non-Pregnant women age 15-49 years who are anaemic (12.0gm/dl) | 54.1 | 58.7 | 57.2 | 53.2 |
| 3. | Pregnant Woman age 15-49 years who are anaemic (<11.0 gm/dl | 45.7 | 54.3 | 52.2 | 50.4 |
| 4. | All women age 15-49 years who are anaemic (<12.0 gm/dl) | 53.8 | 58.5 | 57.0 | 53.1 |
| 5. | All adolescent women age 15-19 years who are anaemic (12.0gm/dl) | 56.5 | 60.2 | 59.1 | 54.1 |
| 6. | Men age 15-49 year who are anaemic (<13.0 gm/dl) | 20.4 | 27.4 | 25.0 | 22.7 |
| 7. | Men age 15-19 years who are anaemic (<13.0 g/dl) | 25.0 | 33.9 | 31.1 | 29.2 |
Conclusion- Iron deficiency is still a big concern in India, where the majority of states (eastern, north-eastern, and central) have a high anaemia prevalence rate that is increasing over time. Multiple socio-demographic characteristics, ranging from poor economic and educational status, rural domicile, and higher childbearing of women, are found to be relevant for predicting anaemia levels among women in India’s social groupings. To address this issue, India should increase women’s general nutrition and income. Meanwhile, the Government of India should focus more on current anaemia policies and their grassroots implementation.