Telling numbers: Anaemia among men; how it varies among age groups, states

News:According to a recent study aimed at determining the prevalence of anaemia among men in India, it has found that 23.5% of men had anaemia, ranging from mild to moderate to severe degrees.

Facts:

Key takeaways from the study:

• The study has found that nearly a quarter of Indian men(23.2% in a sample of 1 lakh men) in the age group 15-54 had some form of anaemia.
• The higher prevalence has been observed for younger age groups while the lowest prevalence has been observed for the age group of 50-54 years.
• Among the states,the highest prevalence of anaemia among men was in Bihar while the lowest prevalence was in Manipur.
• The study has also found that anaemia was more common among poorer and less educated individuals, people living in rural areas and in poorer districts for both men and women.

Additional information:

About Anaemia:

• The World Health Organization defines anaemia as a condition in which the number of red blood cells or their oxygen-carrying capacity is insufficient to meet physiological needs. 
• Anaemia in men can cause fatigue, lethargy, creates difficulty in concentrating thereby reducing the quality of life and decreasing economic productivity.
• An estimated 1.9 billion people had anaemia in 2013, which is 27% of the world’s population, and 93% of these cases occur in low- and middle-income countries. 
• Factors such as consuming smokeless tobacco, being underweight, level of urbanisation and household wealth are associated with a higher probability of developing the disease.

About Anaemia Mukt Bharat(AMB):

• The scheme has been launched in the year 2018 as part of Intensified National Iron Plus Initiative(NIPI) Program for accelerating the annual rate of decline of anaemia from one to three percentage points. 
• The target groups for AMB are Children 6-59 months, 5-9 years, Adolescent Girls & Boys of 10-19 years, Women of Reproductive Age (15-49 years), Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers.
• However,the study has suggested that the Indian Government might consider extending some components of the Anemia Mukt Bharat programme to men.