BACKGROUND: The anemia prevalence is higher in highlands populations. It is assumed that Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in children is mainly due to low dietary intake. However, other suggest that high prevalence of anemia is due to an inappropriate hemoglobin (Hb) adjustment for altitude.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study conducted in 338 preschoolers (PSC) from Puno-Peru. Hb was measured in whole blood, and ferritin, Soluble transferrin receptor, and Interleukin 6 in serum.The dietary Iron intake was assessed by 24-h dietary recall, using NutriCap Software. Hb concentration was assessed as adjusted or unadjusted for altitude.
RESULTS: With unadjusted Hb, the anemia prevalence was 4.7%, whereas after Hb correction, the prevalence raised-up to 65.6% (p���<���0.001). Reciprocally, erythrocytosis proportion decreased from 20.35 to 0.30% (p���<���0.001). Total Body Iron (TBI) showed that 7.44% had ID and 0.32% had IDA. PSC with normal unadjusted Hb levels have more protein and micronutrients intake than anemic ones. PSC with erythrocytosis consumed less fat, and more niacin and ascorbic acid than anemics. Total Iron intake was lower in anemic than the other groups, but without statistical significance due to the standard deviation of the data in a small number of anemic PSC (n���=���16). TBI, unadjusted Hb, and adjusted Hb were not different between groups consuming or not multimicronutrients.
CONCLUSIONS: The consumption of Iron and Iron status in children who live at high altitude is adequate, and that anemia could be due to other micronutrient deficiencies and/or that the adjustment of Hb by altitude is inappropriate.
