Objective: To explore the relationship between anemia and childhood growth among preschool children.
Methods: The data were from the records of Children Follow-up Study Project carried out by Institute of Reproductive and Child Health of Peking University and the records of related perinatal health care surveillance system in 21 counties/cities of Hebei, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. These children were divided into three groups based on the hemoglobin concentration-non-anemia group, mild anemia group and middle & grave anemia group. The body height, body weight, BMI, HAZ, WAZ, stunting rate and underweight rate of each group were compared.
Results: The body height and body weight of each anemia group were significantly lower than those of non-anemia group. For each group of the anemic boys at the ages of 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-7 years, their body heights were averagely shorter by 0.65, 0.69, 0.94 and 1.42 cm and their body weights were averagely lighter by 0.22 kg, 0.18 kg, 0.38 kg, 0.63 kg than those of non-anemic boys respectively. As for anemic girls at the ages of 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-7 years, the body height gaps were 0.93, 0.74, 0.88 and l.7lcm and body weight gaps were 0.29, 0.22, 0.35 and 0.78 kg respectively. The anemic children were at higher risk for stunting (OR = 1.37) and underweight (OR = 1.32) after adjusting for birth weight, urban & country district, maternal height, maternal BMI at the first prenatal visit, maternal education and occupation.
Conclusion: There was a significant correlation of growth retardation with childhood anemia, and more efforts should be made to prevent and treat childhood anemia in order to promote children growth.