European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2007) 61, 865–869

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Low anemia prevalence in school-aged children in
Bangalore, South India: possible effect of school
health initiatives
S Muthayya1, P Thankachan1, MB Zimmermann2, M Andersson2, A Eilander3, D Misquith4,
RF Hurrell2 and AV Kurpad1

1
Division of Nutrition, St John’s Research Institute, St John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore, India; 2Human
Nutrition Laboratory, Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland;
3
Unilever Food and Health Research Institute, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands and 4Department of Community Health, St John’s
Medical College, St John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore, India

Objective: Anemia is a serious public health problem in Indian school children. Since 2003, simple health intervention programs
such as antihelminthic treatment and vitamin A supplementation have been implemented in primary schools in the Bangalore
region, Karnataka, India. This study examines the prevalence of anemia in school children who are beneficiaries of this program.
Design: Cross-sectional survey.
Setting: Bangalore district, South India.
Subjects: A total of 2030 boys and girls, aged 5–15 years, attending schools in the Bangalore district.
Interventions: School-based, twice yearly intervention: deworming (albendazole 400 mg, single oral dose) and vitamin A
supplementation (200 000 IU, single oral dose).
Main outcome measures: Anemia prevalence based on measure of blood hemoglobin (Hb).
Results: Mean age and blood Hb concentration of all children were 9.572.6 years and 12.671.1 g/dl (range 5.6–16.7),
respectively. The overall anemia prevalence in this group was 13.6%. Anemia prevalence was lower in boys than girls (12.0%;
n ¼ 1037 vs 15.3%; n ¼ 993 respectively, Po0.05). There was no significant difference in anemia prevalence between children in
urban and rural locations (14.6 and 12.3%, respectively).
Conclusions: The current low anemia prevalence in Bangalore could be due to the impact of school-based intervention
programs that have been in place since 2003. The beneficial interactions of deworming and vitamin A supplementation could
have widespread implications for current preventive public health initiatives. There is now need for the development of clear
policy guidelines based on these simple and integrated interventions.
Sponsorship: This research was supported by the Micronutrient Initiative, Ottawa, Canada, and Unilever Food and Health
Research Institute, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2007) 61, 865–869; doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602613; published online 24 January 2007

Keywords: anemia; hemoglobin; albendazole; vitamin A; school children; Bangalore

Correspondence: Dr S Muthayya, Division of Nutrition, St John’s Research Introduction

Institute, St John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore 560 034,
India. Anemia is a serious public health problem in India. A
E-mail: [email protected]
national survey has reported high anemia prevalence rates
Guarantor: S Muthayya.
Contributors: SM, PT, MBZ and MA were involved in study design and of 74% in children below 5 years of age and 52% in young
implementation, data interpretation and writing of the manuscript. DM and women (NFHS-2, 1998–99). Anemia figures for Karnataka
AE were involved in study design, implementation and revising of the State from the same survey are close to the national average,
manuscript. AVK and RFH were involved in study design, data interpretation
at 71 and 42% for preschool children and women, respec-
and writing of the manuscript. The authors have no conflict of interest.
Received 3 July 2006; revised 14 November 2006; accepted 14 November tively. An estimated 50-95% of the anemia in India is iron
2006; published online 24 January 2007 (Fe) deficiency anemia (Seshadri, 1996).
 Anemia in school-aged children in Bangalore
S Muthayya et al
866
There are few data sources on the Fe or anemia status of 5–15 years), Mugalur Primary School (n ¼ 163; 5–14 years),
school going children. It is unclear if children of school age Kuthaganahalli Primary School (n ¼ 72; 5–12 years) and
have the same high levels of anemia seen in preschool Doddathimmasandra Primary School (n ¼ 43; 5–10 years).
children. Further, they are a neglected group in terms of Children attending the urban schools lived in poor neigh-
micronutrient interventions, not reached by the interven- borhoods, with high population density and poor sanitation
tion strategies aimed at preschool children or pregnant and limited access to water. Rural school children lived in
women. In the last 3 years, several studies in India have villages at least 40 km from Bangalore, with no sanitation or
reported a high prevalence of anemia, between 42 and access to running water in their homes. Informed, written
63% in this age (Gomber et al., 2003; Kumar et al., 2003; Rao, consent was obtained from the parents of the children and
2003; Sethi et al., 2003). The etiology of anemia is multi- oral consent was obtained from the children. The protocol
factorial and, therefore, there is an urgent need to determine of the study was reviewed and approved by the ethical
the causes, and to find efficacious methods of intervening to committee at St John’s National Academy of Health Sciences,
reduce the burden of anemia in children, particularly in Bangalore.
young children. In the studies that were conducted in these schools,
As part of an integrated health program over the last 2–3 children in grades between 1 and 10 were screened, although
years, simple nutrition intervention programs have been this was not uniform across schools because of organiza-
implemented in primary schools in the Bangalore urban and tional differences in sites, for example, children in urban
rural region in the state of Karnataka, India. These Govern- schools were in grades 2–5 and children in rural schools were
ment programs include antihelminthic treatment and in 1–10. All schools in this study reported that they had
vitamin A supplementation distributed at the school once implemented deworming (Albendazole 400 mg, single oral
or twice yearly with the aid of teachers. Previous studies of dose) and vitamin A supplementation (200 000 IU, single
similar interventions, distributed separately or in combina- oral dose, with the exception of one school) at least before 12
tion, have reported varying degrees of efficacy against months of the baseline screening. Data were collected
anemia in different countries (Mejia and Chew, 1988; Gilgen between August 2004 and January 2006.
and Mascie-Taylor, 2001; Bhargava et al., 2003; Stoltzfus Height and weight were measured and transformed into
et al., 2004; Tanumihardjo et al., 2004). In addition, z-scores of weight-for-age (WAZ) and height-for-age (HAZ).
significant relationships have been established between Five ml of blood were collected by venipuncture into EDTA-
worm load, low vitamin A status and anemia prevalence in containing vacutainers and transported on cold packs to the
children (Wolde-Gebriel et al., 1993; Dreyfuss et al., 2000). laboratory at St John’s. Hb was measured on an automated
Although there are no previous data available on anemia Coulter AcT Diff2 hematology analyzer (Beckman Coulter,
in school children in Bangalore city, the implementation of Krefeld, Germany) using three level controls (Liquicheck,
these interventions offers an opportunity to examine the Bio-Rad Laboratories, Irvine, CA, USA). Whole blood was
anemia prevalence in school children in this area, and to analyzed within 12 hours of blood sampling and anemia was
compare it to prevalence reported from another city in defined as Hb o11.5 g/dl in children aged 5–11 years and
Karnataka where such data were available without these o12.0 g/dl in children aged X12 years (WHO, 2001).
interventions. Anemia was classified by severity as follows: (i) Mild – 10.0
This paper describes the prevalence and severity of anemia 11.5/12.0 g/dl; (ii) Moderate – 8.0–9.9 g/dl; and (iii)
in school-going children in the study areas in both urban Severe - o8.0 g/dl.
(but low socioeconomic) and rural Bangalore region of Statistical analyses were performed with the SPSS program
Karnataka, South India. The data are compared to previously (version 13.0, SPSS, Chicago, IL,USA). Epinfo was used for
reported urban anemia prevalence data from the same state anthropometry calculations (Epinfo version 3.3.2, CDC,
in school going children. Atlanta). A w2 test was carried out to compare anemia
prevalence between gender and geographical location
(urban/rural). Two-sided P-values o0.05 were considered
Subjects and methods statistically significant.

During the baseline assessment of several recent nutritional

intervention studies carried out from St John’s Research Results
Institute, Bangalore, hemoglobin (Hb) was measured in 2030
children, aged 5–15 years. The study sites were three urban Data are reported for 2030 children between the ages 5 and
Government-aided schools, namely, Franciscan Primary 15 years. Mean age and blood Hb concentration of all
School (n ¼ 529; 5–11 years), Maria Niketan Primary School children were 9.572.6 years and 12.671.1 g/dl (range 5.6–
(n ¼ 386; 7–10 years) and St. Charles Primary School (n ¼ 229; 16.7), respectively. Nearly 50% of the children were under-
7–10 years) and six rural Government schools, Kugur weight (o2 WAZ), and 25% were stunted (o2 HAZ).
Primary School (n ¼ 152; 5–15 years), Kugur High School The overall anemia prevalence in this group was 13.6%
(n ¼ 284; 12–15 years), Thindlu Primary School (n ¼ 172; (Table 1). In children who had anemia (n ¼ 285), 11.2%,

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition

 Anemia in school-aged children in Bangalore
S Muthayya et al
867
Table 1 Summary of anemia prevalence in all children (urban and rural)

Group All children Boys Girls

Total Number Prevalence Total Number Prevalence Total Number Prevalence

number anemic (%) number anemic (%) number anemic (%)

All children 2030 276 13.6 1037 124 12.0a 993 152 15.3
Urban children 1144 167 14.6 581 79 13.6b 563 88 15.6
Rural children 886 109 12.3 456 45 9.9 430 64 14.9
a
Significantly different from girls using a w2test (Po0.05).
b
Significantly different from rural boys using a w2test (Po0.05).

2.1% and 0.3% had mild, moderate and severe anemia, a Urban and Rural
respectively. Boys (n ¼ 1037) had a significantly lower 70
60

% Prevalence
anemia prevalence, 12.0% compared to girls, 15.3%
50
(n ¼ 993, Po0.05). The distribution of anemia prevalence 40
in all children across ages is presented in Figure 1. There is a 30
sharp decline in anemia prevalence from nearly 50% at 5 20
10
years of age to close to 10% between 7 and 11 years. This
0
trend was seen in both genders. Thereafter, anemia pre- 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
valence increased in both boys and girls. Age (yrs)
The agewise distribution of anemia prevalence separately All children All children urban All children rural
in urban and rural children, categorized by gender, is
presented in Figure 1. There was no significant difference b Urban

in anemia prevalence between children in urban and rural 70

60
% Prevalence

locations (14.6 and 12.3, % respectively). However, there was 50

a significant difference in anemia prevalence between urban 40
and rural boys (Table 1). The prevalence of anemia was 30
20
comparable between genders in urban children; however,
10
rural girls had a significantly higher anemia prevalence than 0
rural boys (Po0.05). The reversal trend from a low to high 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
prevalence for anemia began earlier (at about age 10 years) in Age (Yrs)
urban children when compared to rural children (at about All children urban Boys - urban Girls - urban
age 12 years). However, the lack of data in urban children c Rural
above 11 years weakens this observation. 70
60
% Prevalence

50
40
Discussion 30
20
Our findings indicate that the mean prevalence of anemia is 10
0
only 13.9% in school-age children in the Bangalore region, 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Karnataka, South India. It is also worth noting that the Age (yrs)
prevalence was consistently low between the ages of 7 and All children Boys - rural Girls - rural
11 years in all sites studied. These data contrast sharply with
Figure 1 Percentage anemia prevalence stratified by location, age
reports of 3–4 times higher anemia prevalence in school age and gender in school age children. Panels a, b, c represent all
children from other parts of India (Gomber et al., 2003; children (urban and rural, n ¼ 2030), urban children (n ¼ 1144) and
Kumar et al., 2003; Sethi et al., 2003). For example, a survey rural children (n ¼ 886) respectively. No data were available for the
in the city of Gulbarga in northern Karnataka reported an following age/gender/location groups: (a), ages 12–15 (urban
children); (b), ages 12–15 (both genders); and (c), age 5 (boys)
anemia prevalence of 61% in this age group among girls and age 11 (girls).
(Kumar et al., 2003). This study was conducted before state
government health interventions such as antihelminthic
treatment and vitamin A supplementation, targeting school these integrated child health programs that have been in
children (personal communication from authors of Kumar place since 2003 (Akshara Dasoha, 2003). Specifically, these
et al. (2003). include the regular oral administration of albendazole
Therefore, a possible explanation for the current low (400 mg) and vitamin A of 200 000 IU twice yearly, as well
anemia prevalence in Bangalore could be the impact of as a free daily lunch. Indeed, the Akshara Dasoha scheme as

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition

 Anemia in school-aged children in Bangalore
S Muthayya et al
868
proposed (2003) was more comprehensive, as it also envi- interventions, as well as lack of data on helminthic
sioned the supplementation of Fe and folate. However, these infections, Fe deficiency and vitamin A deficiency in school
were not implemented in the schools in this study, probably children in the study areas. Therefore, the implications of
because of a lack of supply. this cross-sectional study need to be verified by careful
Both the antihelminth treatment and vitamin A inter- longitudinal studies where pre-intervention baseline values
vention can improve Fe availability for erythropoesis in are available on vitamin A status and parasite prevalence.
Fe-deficient children (see below). It is likely that most child- However, we believe this report is valuable because firstly,
hood anemia in India is owing to Fe deficiency (Seshadri, we have used data from a similar location in the same state
1996). This is supported by data from a subgroup of anemic for comparison (Gulbarga city, Kumar et al., 2003) and,
children in the present study (n ¼ 54), in whom, Fe secondly, the present prevalence of anemia is well below
deficiency (defined by a low serum ferritin and elevated what might be expected from a secular trend. Finally, some
transferrin receptor concentration) accounted for about 93% of the children in the present study could effectively
of the anemia prevalence (S Muthayya, unpublished data). represent the same cohort of preschool children studied in
Indian children residing in poor neighborhoods have been the NFHS assessment in Bangalore in 1998–1999, in whom
shown to have a high prevalence of helminth infections (Sur the anemia prevalence was reported to be about 70% (NFHS-
et al., 2005). The intensity of helminthic infection and faecal 2, 1998–99). Importantly, from a public health viewpoint,
egg count are strongly and inversely associated with Hb these interventions did not include Fe supplements and
concentrations (Stoltzfus et al., 1997; Dreyfuss et al., 2000). are indicative of the impact that simple integrated health
This might partly explain, why anemia prevalence is much initiatives can have on reducing the burden of anemia in the
lower than expected in this study group following the school child in the community. Additionally, as these
deworming intervention. Vitamin A was also administered combined interventions are cost effective and affordable,
to the study children and may have had an additional and as they are school-based programs, it is most likely that
positive impact on their Hb and Fe status. Vitamin A status they will ensure a greater level of compliance, and, therefore,
has been shown to be poor in school-aged children in other sustainability. The point has to be made, however, that this
Indian studies (Dwivedi et al., 1992; Kapil et al., 1996; report only assesses the prevalence of anemia, and not Fe
Khandait et al., 1999). Nutritional surveys have shown a deficiency, which could still be more widely prevalent and,
close association between vitamin A deficiency and anemia therefore, interventions such as Fe fortification are needed to
(Mejia and Chew, 1988; Bloem et al., 1989). Vitamin A overcome this problem.
repletion may reduce anemia by improving utilization of The high anemia prevalence (43%) in the youngest
stored Fe for erythropoiesis (Zimmermann et al., 2006), and children (5 years) just entering school, compared to that of
by enhancing immunity and reducing the anemia of their older peers is noteworthy (Figure 1). This may indicate
infection (Semba and Bloem, 2002). Intervention studies in the low coverage of nutrition interventions aimed at
preschool and school-going children also confirm that vulnerable preschool children. For example, surveys in
vitamin A supplementation improves Hb concentration Karnataka state report only 56% coverage of vitamin A
and other measures of Fe status (Mohanram et al., 1977; supplementation to preschool children through the routine
Mejia and Chew, 1988; Mwanri et al., 2000). immunization program (UNICEF, 2001).
The beneficial interactions of deworming and vitamin A The data in this report add to the already existing, and
supplementation could have widespread implications for convincing, studies available on the efficacy of school based
current preventive public health interventions. In combina- distribution of antihelminthic treatment and vitamin A
tion with these interventions, the consumption of a simple, supplementation in reducing anemia prevalence in school
rice-based, lunch supplying roughly 300–400 kcal/day may children. There is now need for the development of clear
not only improve the overall nutritional status of school-age policy guidelines for the wider implementation and evalua-
children, but also contribute a small amount of additional Fe tion of these simple and integrated interventions. On the
each day. Although the amount of Fe in the rice-based lunch basis of these findings, we would also recommend further
is low, the Fe may be well-absorbed, given the relatively low assessment of the prevalence of anemia and its potential
amount of inhibitors such as phytates in rice. causes, including helminth infections, Fe deficiency and
A detailed search of the literature on anemia prevalence in vitamin A deficiency.
India does not provide any evidence for a secular trend such
as a gradual reduction in anemia prevalence in the last 20 Acknowledgements
years (Seshadri, 1996; Gomber et al., 2003; Kumar et al.,
2003; Rao, 2003; Sethi et al., 2003). Hence, the low The assistance of Dr R Goud, Dr D Moretti, Ms A Vani and
prevalence of anemia observed in the present study could Ms L Sebastian is gratefully acknowledged. We thank Mr T M
be attributed to the combined school based interventions Vijay Bhaskar, Secretary, Department of Education, Govern-
that have been operational in the study area in the last 3 ment of Karnataka, the Departments of Health and Women
years. A limitation of the present report is the lack of baseline and Child Development, Government of Karnataka, for their
anemia prevalence data before the implementation of these support and cooperation.

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition

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S Muthayya et al
869
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