Young children and pregnant women are the most affective group with an estimated global prevalence of about 40% and 50% respectively. Anemia is also prevalent in non pregnant women (35%) and among adult male (18%).
In India, its incidence varies from 20-70% and it is an important public health problem affecting people from all walks of life. Anemia is very wide spread, more among females than males and higher among infants and children than adults. Severe anemia (with hemoglobin level <8gm/dl) is more frequently seen in severely under nourished children, who also exhibit signs associated with deficiencies of energy, proteins, vitamins and minerals.
Many studies showed that the incidence of anemia in adolescent girls varies from 50-80%.
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