ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the clinical features of nutritional iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and analyze the risk factors for the severity of anemia, and to provide a basis for the prevention and clinical diagnosis and treatment of this disease.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 372 children with IDA to investigate the risk factors for the severity of IDA.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of 372 cases, the male-to-female ratio of these patients was 2.72 : 1. Of all cases, 79.9% were aged 6 months to 2 years, and 30.7% were premature infants; 22.9% had a birth weight of < 2.5 kg, and 77.1% had a birth weight of ≥2.5 kg; 36.0% were delivered by natural birth, and 64.0% were delivered by caesarean section; 79.3% were not given solid foods in time; 46.2% had a history of lower respiratory tract infection/recurrent upper respiratory tract infection, diarrhea, trauma, or surgery. The univariate analysis showed that age, birth weight, gestational age, timely introduction of solid foods, and a history of lower respiratory tract infection/recurrent upper respiratory tract infection, diarrhea, trauma, or surgery were associated with the severity of anemia. The multivariate analysis showed that birth weight and the mentioned medical history were associated with the severity of anemia.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Nutritional IDA is common in children aged 6 months to 2 years. Nowadays, improper feeding pattern is still one of the main causes of IDA. Birth weight and a history of lower respiratory tract infection/recurrent upper respiratory tract infection, diarrhea, trauma, or surgery are closely associated with the severity of anemia.</p>