Iron-fortified wheat flour and iron deficiency among women.

Background: Iron deficiency is estimated to impact more than 1.6 billion individuals worldwide, affecting child, maternal, and perinatal mortality. Iron supplementation, fortification, and dietary diversification are strategies to reduce the prevalence of iron deficiency.

Haemoglobin adjustments to define anaemia.

Objective: To provide researchers with an unambiguous definition of anaemia using haemoglobin.

Methods: Review of recommendations by expert groups and review of the literature.

Results: This report provides an unambiguous approach to haemoglobin adjustments to define anaemia using international criteria.

Monitoring and evaluation in flour fortification programs: design and implementation considerations.

Designing and implementing effective monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is an integral element of wheat flour fortification programs. This review provides practical guidance for designing a M&E system for a flour fortification program. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health has been adapted to identify key issues in the development of an integrated M&E system.

Helicobacter pylori, anemia, and iron deficiency: relationships explored among Alaska native children.

Background: Attempts to understand determinants of anemia and iron deficiency have led researchers to examine the role of Helicobacter pylori infection. The current study assessed determinants of anemia and iron deficiency, including H. pylori, in Alaska Native children.

Hemoglobin and ferritin are currently the most efficient indicators of population response to iron interventions: an analysis of nine randomized controlled trials.

Governments and donor agencies have implemented pilot and large-scale iron fortification programs, but there has been no consensus on the best choice of indicators to monitor population response to these interventions. We analyzed data from 9 randomized iron intervention trials to determine which of the following indicator(s) of iron status show the largest response in a population: hemoglobin (Hb), ferritin, transferrin receptor (TfR), zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP), mean cell volume (MCV), transferrin saturation (TS), and total body-iron store. We expressed the change in each indicator in response to the iron intervention in SD units (SDU) for the intervention group compared with the control group.

Iron supplementation during pregnancy, anemia, and birth weight: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The need for prophylactic iron during pregnancy is uncertain.

Objective: We tested the hypothesis that administration of a daily iron supplement from enrollment to 28 wk of gestation to initially iron-replete, nonanemic pregnant women would reduce the prevalence of anemia at 28 wk and increase birth weight.

Design: Between June 1995 and September 1998, 513 low-income pregnant women in Cleveland were enrolled in the study before 20 wk of gestation.

Erythrocyte protoporphyrin or hemoglobin: which is a better screening test for iron deficiency in children and women?

Background: Hemoglobin and erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP) tests are commonly used to screen for iron deficiency. However, little research has been done to systematically evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of these 2 tests.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of hemoglobin and EP measurements in predicting iron deficiency in preschool children and in women of childbearing age.