Nutritional anemia with reference to iron status in women of Islamabad

Iron, copper status and hematological parameters hemoglobin hematocrit, were determined in 102 adult anaemic women. Of the subjects 34% had hemoglobin between 7.8-8.9 g/dl and hematocrit between 25-33%. The serum iron level was low < than 48 ug/dl in 78.0% of the subjects. Majority of the subjects had adequate levels of serum copper and total protein. The present study showed that the consumption of iron rich food was seen in 29% of persons. The high prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia could be attributed to consumption of iron low food. Moreover these food commodities contains antinutritional factors hence rendering poor iron availability