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Nutritional Epidemiology (Poster Session)

(P17-024-25) Prevalence of Iron Deficiency Among Senegalese Adolescents Aged 10–19 Years: A National Representative Study

Sunday, June 1, 2025
11:45 AM - 12:45 PM ET
Location: Poster Board A-24

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Mane Hélène Faye, n/a (she/her/hers)

    Assistant Professor
    Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar
    Dakar, Dakar, Senegal

    • Co-Author(s)

  • MS

    Mariame Sy, Master (she/her/hers)

    PhD Student
    Laboratoire de Recherche en Nutrition et Alimentation Humaine, Département de Biologie Animale, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Cheikh Diop (UCAD)
    Dakar, Dakar, Senegal

  • NB

    Nafissatou Ba Lo

    Conseil National de Développement de la Nutrition, Senegal

  • AB

    Abdou Badiane

    Laboratoire de Recherche en Nutrition et Alimentation Humaine (LARNAH), Département de Biologie Animale, Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), Dakar, Senegal

  • FD

    Fadame Diagne

    Laboratoire de Recherche en Nutrition et Alimentation Humaine, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), Senegal

  • OM

    Olouwafemi Mistourath Mama (she/her/hers)

    Lecturer/Researcher
    Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD)
    Dakar, Dakar, Senegal

  • JN

    Judith Nihorimbere

    Nutrition International, Ottawa, Canada

  • MR

    Marion L. Roche, PhD

    Senior Technical Advisor, Adolescent and Women's Health and Nutrition
    Nutrition International
    Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

  • ET

    El Hadj Momar Thaim

    Conseil National de Développement de la Nutrition, Senegal

  • AD

    Aminata Diop Ndoye

    Conseil National de Développement de la Nutrition, Dakar, Senegal

  • NI

    Nicole Idohou Dossou

    Laboratoire de Recherche en Nutrition et Alimentation Humaine (LARNAH), Département de Biologie Animale, Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), Dakar, Senegal

  • AD

    Adama Diouf, Pr

    University Cheikh Anta DIop

Disclosure(s):
Mariame Sy, Master: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
Olouwafemi Mistourath Mama: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: Adolescents are at high risk of iron deficiency (ID) due to their increasing nutritional needs related to rapid growth. However, there is insufficient evidence on the extent of ID to strengthen adolescent nutrition policies. This study assessed the prevalence of ID in Senegalese adolescents aged 10-19 years.

Methods: A national cross-sectional survey was conducted using a stratified three-stage cluster sampling. Sociodemographic and socioeconomic data were collected along with blood samples. Serum ferritin concentration (FC) was measured by ELFA. The Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia (BRINDA) regression correction approach was used to adjust for the influence of inflammation on FC using C-reactive protein (CRP) and alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) measured by immunoturbidimetry. Cut-offs defining ID, its public health significance, and inflammation categories were derived from the WHO 2020 guidelines. Data were weighted to account for the design complexity.

Results: Data from 1 724 adolescents were analyzed. Overall, 70.4% of them had subclinical inflammation, including 46.2%, 18.3%, and 5.9% in incubation, early and late convalescence, respectively. The median inflammation-adjusted FC was 20.8 µg/L [IQR: 11.4-34.3]. The prevalence of ID was 34.6% [95% CI: 31.1-38.2], higher in girls (37.8%) compared with boys (29.8%, P < 0.01). ID was more prevalent in adolescent aged 15-19 than those of 10-14 years (40.9% vs. 30.4%, P < 0.01). Adolescent girls aged 15-19 years were more affected by ID (46.8%) than those aged 10-14 years (31.2%, P < 0.001) and adolescent boys aged 15-19 years (30.6%, P < 0.01). Rural area was most affected than urban one (37.8% vs. 28.7%, P < 0.05) but there were no associations between belonging to any ethnocultural zone or wealth quintile and ID.

Conclusions: ID is a moderate public health problem among adolescents aged 10-19 years in Senegal, but severe in adolescents aged 15-19 years. ID Inflammation is also widespread. Both nutrition and public health policies and interventions should be strengthened to fully address this population, considering sociodemographic related disparities.

Funding Sources: Conseil National de Développement de la Nutrition and Nutrition International. The contents are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of funding agencies.