OBJECTIVES: to assess anemia prevalence in children enrolled in daycare centers in the city of Rio de Janeiro to determine the more at risk subgroups. METHODS: 865 children were assessed. Hemoglobin (Hb) was measured in a portable photometer (HemoCue) and anemia was defined with Hb<11g/dL and <9.5g/dL for children over and under six months old respectively. Biological, social and economic information was obtained by questionnaires responded by the mothers. RESULTS: anemic children had means of z weight score for their ages (-0.239) and height for age ( -0.548) lower than the non-anemic children. Anemia risk was higher for children under two years old (prevalence ratio of [PR]1.73; confidence interval [IC95%: 1.52-1.97), for the ones who had parents with less than four years of schooling (PR=1.57; IC95%: 1.24-1.99) and lived in homes with more than eight family members (PR=1.45; IC95%: 1.07-1.95). CONCLUSIONS: anemia prevalence was high. Children who were underweight and with short height for their age, under two years old, living in crowded homes and with low parental schooling were more vulnerable to anemia and should be the focus for control and prevention.
Anemia; Child day care centers; Child
