Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41407490›Full record

ArticleBMJ global health2025

Silent losses: predictors of anaemia and micronutrient deficiencies and their associations with menstrual bleeding in Lebanon - findings from a national cross-sectional study.

James P Wirth, Amirhossein Yarparvar, Valeria Galetti, Carla El-Mallah, Mira Boutros, Joelle Najjar, Mira El Mokdad, Diana Kobayter, Nicolai Petry, Mirella Abi Zeid Daou and 4 more

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Article in BMJ global health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

James P WirthGroundWork, Fläsch, Switzerland.
Amirhossein YarparvarUNICEF, Beirut, Lebanon.
Valeria GalettiGroundWork, Fläsch, Switzerland.
Carla El-MallahGroundWork, Fläsch, Switzerland.
Mira BoutrosUNICEF, Beirut, Lebanon.
Joelle NajjarUNICEF, Beirut, Lebanon.
Mira El MokdadUNICEF, Beirut, Lebanon.
Diana KobayterMercyUSA, Tripoli, Lebanon.
Nicolai PetryGroundWork, Fläsch, Switzerland.
Mirella Abi Zeid DaouWFP, Beirut, Lebanon.
Charles WakimAmerican University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Farah AsfahaniWorld Bank, Beirut, Lebanon.
Firass AbiadMinistry of Public Health, Beirut, Lebanon.
Omar ObeidNutrition and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon oo01@aub.edu.lb.ORCID 0000-0002-7554-1296

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSignificant physiological changes occur in adolescence, including the onset of menarche in girls. However, the extent to which menstrual bleeding contributes to anaemia and micronutrient deficiencies remains unclear. This study assesses the prevalence of anaemia and micronutrient deficiencies and examines their association with menarcheal status, menstrual bleeding severity and other factors among adolescent girls in Lebanon.

methodsData were collected as part of a nationally representative cross-sectional study involving 2254 adolescent girls, 10-19 years of age. Household interviews were used to gather information on household demographics and wealth, and individual interviews assessed dietary diversity, menarcheal status and menstrual bleeding severity (assessed for post-menarche girls only). Blood samples were analysed to determine haemoglobin, ferritin, retinol-binding protein, folate and vitamin B12 levels. We used multivariable models to identify factors associated with anaemia and deficiencies in iron, folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin A.

resultsOverall, 20.3% of girls had anaemia, 29.5% iron deficiency, 13.9% iron deficiency anaemia, 14.4% folate deficiency, 17.7% vitamin B12 deficiency and 3.9% vitamin A deficiency. Among post-menarche adolescent girls, 22.4% reported severe menstrual bleeding. Bleeding severity was significantly associated with iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia in multivariable models. Iron deficiency was the primary predictor of anaemia, and a significant dose-response relationship was found between menstrual bleeding and anaemia in iron-deficient girls. Post-menarche status, but not bleeding severity, was associated with 46% and 54% higher prevalence of B12 and folate deficiencies, respectively. Neither menarcheal status nor bleeding severity was associated with vitamin A deficiency.

conclusionAmong adolescent girls in Lebanon, anaemia and micronutrient deficiencies were common, and menstrual bleeding severity was strongly associated with iron deficiency and anaemia in iron deficient girls. Menstrual health is a key predictor of nutritional status in adolescent girls and should be integrated into health programmes and nutrition assessments.

Indexed as

AnemiaMenstruationMicronutrientsAdolescentAnemia, Iron-DeficiencyChildCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleFolic Acid DeficiencyHumansLebanonMenarchePrevalenceVitamin A DeficiencyVitamin B 12 DeficiencyYoung AdultMicronutrientsAnaemiaNutritionPublic Health

Identifiers

PMID41407490
PMCPMC12716587

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.