Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 19: A recent study has uncovered that a significant portion of anaemia cases, traditionally linked to iron deficiency, is actually caused by factors like low vitamin B12 levels and air pollution. Published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the research challenges the conventional belief that iron deficiency is the primary cause of anaemia.

The study, involving a blood survey across eight Indian states, found that the prevalence of iron deficiency-related anaemia was less than a third of the total cases. Researchers from the 'Vitamin B12 India Study' and Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN) suggest that this shift in understanding could lead to a re-evaluation of national anaemia prevention policies.

Anaemia, a condition marked by insufficient or malfunctioning red blood cells, has been an ongoing public health concern in India, with recent surveys highlighting its growing prevalence. However, National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) have primarily focused on measuring haemoglobin levels without exploring the underlying causes of the condition.

The study’s findings, based on venous blood samples from 4,613 participants, suggest that iron deficiency is not as widespread a problem as previously assumed. In fact, the venous blood test showed lower anaemia rates compared to the NFHS-5 capillary blood test, indicating that previous statistics may have overstated the problem.

In the eight states studied, anaemia prevalence was 41.1% in women (compared to 60.8% in NFHS-5), 44.3% in teenage girls (62.6% in NFHS-5), and 20.7% in adult men (26% in NFHS-5).

The researchers now emphasize the importance of addressing other factors, such as vitamin B12 deficiency and environmental pollution, in the fight against anaemia, calling for more nuanced policy interventions moving forward.