According to the newest Nutrition Survey conducted by the Medical Research Institute(MRI) in Colombo 15.1% of the children aged 6 months to 59 months are suffering from Iron Deficiency Anemia .a majority of these children with anemia which is around 34% are belongs to the age group 6 months to 11 months .
Approximately 15% of the preschool children and 20% of the School going children are suffering from anemia according to survey results.the prevalence of anemia among non pregnant women aged 15 years to 49 years was 22.2% and among pregnant women was 16.7%.
Addressing the media seminar held today(29) at the Health Education Bureau titled”Iron Rich Food for health,strength and intelligence” to mark the National Nutrition Month falls on June Dr.Renuka Jayathissa a senior Nutritionist attach to UNICEF has said that Iron Deficiency Anemia is caused due to the insufficient dietary intake,poor absorption of iron and the loss of blood (eg:Parasitic Infestations and menstrual bleeding).
” The Ministry Of Health has already launched a nutritional plan to aim of reducing the anemia among children and women in the country by 50% at the end of 2016″ she said.rich dietary sources of Iron are in red meet like chicken,pork,mutton and beef also in small fish,organic meet like liver ,vegetables like green leaves and pulses like beans,soya been,green gram,chickpea,cowpea,ulundu and dhal.products of these pulses-tofu,been curd and soya meet dr.jayathissa has stressed.
The economic impact of anemia is high and it is around US Dollars 50 billion loss in gross domestic product according to her.if the children aged 6 months to 12 months supplied diet using iron sprinkles at home a US Dollars 37 gain in productivity can be reached per US One Dollar spent it has been revealed. 