Anaemia in Urban India
Anaemia in Urban India
Do you feel tired and weak all the time? Do you suffer from shortness of breath, particularly after exercise? Do your hands and feet frequently turn cold? If you have these symptoms and don’t know why here is the answer: “Anaemia.”
Anaemia is a condition in which the number of red blood cells (RBCs), and consequently their oxygen-carrying capacity, is insufficient to meet the body’s physiological needs.
There are certain types of anaemia such as iron deficiency anaemia, sickle-cell anaemia, thalassemia, vitamin deficiency anaemia etc. Different types of anaemia have different causes. The most common type of anaemia is iron-deficiency anaemia, which is caused due to shortage of iron in the body. Here we will be focusing more on the anaemia caused to iron deficiency.
Haemoglobin levels to diagnose anaemia (g/dl):
Age groups | No Anaemia | Mild | Moderate | Severe |
Children 6–59 months of age | ≥11 | 10–10.9 | 11–12.9 | <7 |
Children 5–11 years of age | ≥11.5 | 11–11.4 | 8–10.9 | <8 |
Children 12–14 years of age | ≥12 | 11–11.9 | 8–10.9 | <8 |
Non-pregnant women (15 years of age and above) | ≥12 | 11–11.9 | 8–10.9 | <8 |
Pregnant women | ≥11 | 10–10.9 | 7–9.9 | <7 |
Men | ≥13 | 11–12.9 | 8–10.9 | <8 |
Source: Haemoglobin concentration for the diagnosis of anaemia and assessment of severity. WHO
Anaemia due to iron deficiency is mainly caused due to the following reasons:
1. Inadequate production of Red Blood Cells
2. High rate of destruction of Red Blood Cells
3. Excessive bleeding
A lack of iron in the body is the main cause of anaemia. Food is the most important factor which affects the iron level. So, the major causes of anaemia are all related to eating habits.
Some of the unhealthy food habits leading to anaemia are:
1. Unscientific diet fad- Some people blindly believe that eating less would reduce their weight and would make them look slim. But this behaviour has adverse effects on them. This kind of diet cannot fulfil the nutritional requirement of the body which leads to Anaemia.
2. Junk food- Junk food lack many essential nutrients. Junk food is not rich in iron. If people fulfil their hunger by eating junk food, they would end up with an iron deficiency. Eating junk food once in a while won’t affect the health, but its frequent consumption would cause many complications.
3. Missing breakfast-Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If we skip breakfast, the brain interprets it as starving, setting a lower metabolic rate which leads to weight gain when one eats later. People who do not have breakfast habits are more likely to develop anaemia than those who eat breakfast.
Medical Treatment:
1. Iron supplements: External iron supplements can fulfil the requirement of iron in the body. Although, these must be taken as prescribed by the doctor.
2. Treating underlying causes of iron deficiency: Underlying causes such as excessive blood flow during the menstrual cycle should be treated under proper medication.
As prevention is better than cure, we will go through a few healthy eating habits to prevent the disease: -
1. Eat plenty of iron-rich food such as leafy vegetables, red meat, seafood, dried fruits etc.
2. Reduce intake of tea and coffee as they inhibit iron absorption in the body
3. Get enough folic acid rich food in the diet. for example-broccoli, sprouts, chickpeas and beans etc.
4. Intake of foods rich in vitamin C such as citrus fruits to improve iron absorption
5. Increase the intake of liquids.
Conclusion:
The rise of cases of Anaemia in urban areas is dangerous for the nation. Since the youth of the nation is more prone to Anaemia, proper education and awareness regarding this are necessary. Instead of consuming medicines, consumption of healthy food and avoiding unhealthy habits is anyway a better option. Nowadays people's lives are becoming more chaotic and frenetic, yet health must always be a priority.
“It is health that is the real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Credits and References:
Pavitra Sangrulkar, SY Metallurgy (Team Awareness Thursday)
Sources:
https://www.who.int/vmnis/indicators/haemoglobin.pdf
Image References:
https://openclipart.org/detail/320695/exhausted-woman-silhouette
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sickle_Cell_Anemia.png
https://openclipart.org/detail/306467/junk-food
https://freesvg.org/various-fruits-1574684534
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