Prospects, inabilities and achievements in epidemiologic studies on iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia.

In this review a critical appraisal of the criteria proposed for the diagnosis of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia is presented, together with an analytical report on the prevalence of both deficiencies among 3,586 infants, children and adolescents from various areas of Greece. Recent advances in prevention are also discussed, especially for infants and children at puberty, in which the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia was found to be very high.