Vitamin Deficiency Anemia

Vitamin Deficiency Anemia

Vitamin deficiency anemia is a lack of healthy red blood cells caused by lower than normal amounts of certain vitamins. Vitamins linked to vitamin deficiency anemia include folate, vitamin B-12 and vitamin C. Vitamin deficiency anemia can occur if you don't eat enough folate, vitamin B-12 or vitamin C. Or vitamin deficiency anemia can occur if your body has trouble absorbing or processing these vitamins.

Disease statistics
The results of the National Survey reveal that more than half of indigenous children in Brazil presented anemia (51.2%) and approximately one-sixth presented moderate/severe anemia (16.4%). Reported prevalence rates for anemia and moderate/severe anemia were 20.9% and 8.7%, respectively.

Treatment for vitamin deficiency anemia includes supplements and changes in diet:
Treatment involves eating a healthy diet and taking folic acid supplements as prescribed by your doctor. In most cases, folic acid supplements are taken orally. Once your body's level of folate increases to normal, you may be able to stop taking the supplements. But if the cause of your folate deficiency can't be corrected, you may need to take folic acid supplements indefinitely.

Research: The National Survey reported here show widespread occurrence of anemia among indigenous children in Brazil, with prevalence rates being substantially higher than those among non-indigenous children. The serious consequences of anemia for child health and development, as well as the preventable nature of iron-deficiency anemia, it is necessary to develop control and prevention strategies that attend to the sociocultural and nutritional specificities of anemia in indigenous children in Brazil.