Main description:

Understanding the causes of anemia is critical to inform appropriate strategies to prevent and treat anemia, particularly to reduce the risk of anemia and the burden of disease. The strength of this book lies in its cross-disciplinary nature. This publication summarizes the current state of evidence on the multifactorial causes of anemia, with a specific focus on nutritional anemia. The chapter authors are leading experts in nutrition and global health. The introductory chapters provide an overview of the global burden of anemia prevalence, the economic implications and functional consequences of anemia, and the significance of these factors to guide policy and programs. Subsequent chapters provide current evidence on iron and other micronutrient metabolism and homeostasis in regards to anemia, the multifactorial contributors to anemia (e.g. infection and genetics), and the interactions between nutrients that may contribute to anemia. The summarizing chapters detail program and policy approaches to treat, prevent and reduce anemia in the global context.

Nutritional Anemia is a comprehensive resource for those involved in global health and nutrition policy, strategy, programming, or research, and serves as a guide for how government, NGO, and international agencies can effectively treat, prevent and reduce anemia globally.

Contents:

Worldwide Prevalence and Progress in Anemia Reduction.- The Economics of Addressing Nutritional Anemia.- Iron Biology: Metabolism and Homeostasis.- Laboratory Methods for Measurement of Anemia and Iron Status.- Interpretation of Biomarkers and Diagnosis of Nutritional Status.- Anemia and Iron Deficiency in Disease.- Nutritional Anemia in Special Population Groups (children, elderly, pregnancy/lactation, vegetarians).- Sources of Iron Intake: Diet, Supplemental, Environmental.- Bioavailability: Inhibitors and Enhancers of Iron Absorption.- Food Fortification with Iron: Policy and Considerations.- Genetic Hemoglobinopathies and their Contribution to Anemia.- Role of B-vitamins in Nutritional Anemia.- Oxidative Stress and Vitamin E in Anemia.- Vitamin D and Hepcidin in Nutritional Anemia.- Infection and Inflammation in the Etiology and Assessment of Iron Deficiency of Anemia.- Iron Infection and the Immune System.- Anemia in Sever Undernutrition (malnutrition).- Interactions between Iron and other Minerals in the Etiology of Anemia.- Iron and the Gut Microbiota.- An Overview of the Functional Significance of Iron Deficiency (Cognitive, Behavioral).- Designing Effective Programs for Anemia Prevention, Treatment, and Reduction.- Market-based Approaches for Anemia Prevention, Treatment, and Reduction.- Safety of Interventions to Reduce Nutritional Anemia.- Novel Approaches to Iron Supplementation.- Food-based Approaches to Combating Iron Deficiency.- Conclusions and Research Agenda.