Iron and iodine deficiencies among under-2 children, adolescent girls, and pregnant women of Bangladesh: association with common diseases.

We examined the frequency of iron and iodine deficiencies and associations of iron and iodine deficiencies with common diseases among under-2 children, adolescent girls, and pregnant women of Bangladesh. We assayed the blood hemoglobin concentration in 395 under-2 children, 355 adolescent girls, and 263 pregnant women, the urinary iodine concentration of those adolescent girls and pregnant women, and the iodine level of all household salt specimens. The history of common diseases within their previous 2 weeks were also obtained from recall to explore the associations of iron and iodine deficiencies with common diseases. Anemia was found in 49.1% of children, 24.8% of adolescent girls, and 44.4% of pregnant women using defined cut-off values (Hb < 11.0 g/dL for under-2 children and pregnant women; <12.0 g/dL for adolescent girls). Prevalence of iodine deficiencies (urinary iodine <100 microg/L) was 38.4% in adolescent girls and 39.4% in pregnant women, and 39.4% of salt specimens had inadequate iodine (<15 ppm). The relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated and adjusted for age, sex, and gestational age to explore the associations of iron and iodine deficiencies with common diseases. The RR of anemia was increased for fever (RR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.3-2.3), ear infection (RR = 3.4, 95% CI = 1.3-8.5), skin disease (RR = 1.4, 95% CI = 0.9-2.2), and pneumonia (RR = 3.7, 95% CI = 0.7-19.5). The RR of iodine deficiency was elevated for diarrhea/dysentery (RR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.1l-4.4) and eye infection (RR = 2.1, 95% CI = 0.5-9.4). We concluded that iron and iodine deficiencies are quite high among the Bangladeshi population. Observed associations of iron and iodine deficiencies with common diseases indicated the necessity of eliminating iron and iodine deficiencies from this vulnerable population through strengthening of iron and iodine supplementation, in order to prevent diseases and promote health conditions.