Low prevalence of iron-deficiency anaemia among Inuit preschool children: Nunavut Inuit Child Health Survey, 2007-2008

Objective: To report the prevalence rates and correlates for anaemia, iron deficiency (ID) and iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) among Inuit preschool-aged children. Design: A cross-sectional study assessed iron intake, demographic information, medical history, anthropometrics, Hb, ferritin, C-reactive protein and antibodies to Helicobacter pylori. Setting: Sixteen selected Inuit communities in Nunavut Territory, Canada. Subjects: Inuit (n 388) aged 3-5 years randomly recruited from communities. Results: Anaemia (3-4 years: Hb < 110 g/l; 5 years: Hb < 115 g/l) was prevalent in 16.8% of children. The prevalence of ID (ferritin < 12 mu g/l) was 18.0% and that of IDA was 5.4%. When ID was defined as ferritin < 10 mu g/l, 10.8% of children were iron deficient and 3.3% had IDA. In multiple logistic regression, boys were more likely to be iron deficient (OR = 2.28, 95% CI 1.17, 8.25), but no other risk factor emerged for ID. Three-to 4-year-olds were less likely than 5-year-olds to have anaemia from causes other than ID (OR = 0.11, 95% CI 0.08, 0.58). Anaemia from other causes was more common among children residing in crowded homes (OR = 2.30, 95% CI 1.37, 12.31) and those treated for past-year ear infection (OR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.05, 7.21). Conclusions: The low prevalence of ID and IDA is encouraging, but efforts are still needed to reduce rates as they continue to be higher than general population rates. Household crowding and infections may contribute to anaemia and warrant further research.