The stagnation of child anaemia (6–23 months) in Tanzania from 2004 to 2022

Background: Child anaemia remains a major public health concern in low- and middle-income countries, particularly among children aged <2 years. Given Tanzania's slow progress towards addressing this challenge, despite the implementation of targeted national strategies, we aimed to examine the prevalence and associated factors of anaemia in children aged <2 years. Methods: This cross-sectional study was based on secondary data from the Tanzania Demographic and Health Surveys (2004-2005, 2010, 2015-2016, and 2022). We applied individual sampling weights to ensure national representativeness and used descriptive analyses to estimate the prevalence of child anaemia, both overall and in specific age group distributions (6-23 and 24-59 months), by severity. Then, employed geographic information system mapping to visualise the regional anaemia prevalence among children aged <2 years. Finally, we conducted a multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors related to child anaemia and sensitivity analyses to check the robustness of our findings. Results: We included 25 590 children aged <5 years with available haemoglobin data, of whom 10 166 were aged 6-23 months. In 2022, 59.9% of children aged <5 years and 73.1% of those aged 6-23 months were anaemic. Using spatial analysis, we found that 16 of 31 regions experienced increased prevalence of anaemia, while the remaining 15 saw slight to moderate declines since 2015. In the multivariable analysis, being male (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.380; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.133-1.681), having low birth weight (aOR = 1.713; 95% CI = 1.076-2.727), being underweight (aOR = 1.438; 95% CI = 1.032-2.005), and not having health insurance (aOR = 1.768; 95% CI = 1.247-2.508) were factors significantly associated with increased risk of anaemia. Conclusion: s Child anaemia in Tanzania has stagnated between 2015-2022, failing to meet national targets. The burden has remained disproportionately high among low birth weight children and those aged <2 years, with those residing in coastal regions and high food production areas being especially vulnerable. Targeted interventions during the first 1000 days of life should be prioritised to break the intergenerational cycle of anaemia

Birth weight · Child mortality · Food security · Low birth weight · Malaria · Psychological intervention · Tanzania · Blood donation and transfusion practices · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Iron Metabolism and Disorders

• What works? Interventions for maternal and child undernutrition and survival

  Open Access•Zulfiqar A Bhutta, Tahmeed Ahmed et al.•The Lancet•2008

  Incluir item

• Reducing risks to food security from climate change

  Open Access•Bruce Campbell, Bruce M Campbell et al.•Global Food Security•2016

  Incluir item

• A systematic analysis of global anemia burden from 1990 to 2010

  Nicholas J Kassebaum, Rashmi Jasrasaria et al.•Blood•2014

  Incluir item

• Maternal and child undernutrition and overweight in low-income and middle-income countries

  Open Access•Robert E Black, Cesar G Victora et al.•The Lancet•2013

  Incluir item

• Predictors of iron deficiency anaemia among children aged 6–59 months in Tanzania

  Open Access•Rose V Msaki, Elizabeth Lyimo et al.•PLOS Global Public Health•2022

  Incluir item

• Prevalence and Determinants of Anemia among Children in Zanzibar, Tanzania

  Open Access•Fatma Ally Said, Ahmed Gharib Khamis et al.•Children•2021

  Incluir item

• Prevalence and Factors Associated with Anaemia and Undernutrition Among Children Aged 6–24 Months in Rural Tanzania

  Open Access•Naelijwa Mshanga, Sally G Moore et al.•International Journal of…•2025

  Incluir item

• Worldwide prevalence of anaemia, WHO Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition Information System, 1993–2005

  Open Access•Erin McLean, Mary E Cogswell et al.•Public Health Nutrition•2009

  Incluir item

• Geographical variation and temporal trend in anemia among children aged 6–59 months in low- and middle-income countries during 2000–2018

  Open Access•Md Mehedi Hasan, Ricardo J Soares Magalhães et al.•Public Health Nutrition•2021

  Incluir item

• From Evidence to Action

  Blythe Thomas•American Journal of Public Health•2022

  Incluir item