An Examination of Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficient Anemia in Reproductive Age Black Women using Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2010 and 2015-2020

Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia are both an impending public health crisis particularly amongst black women. Those who identify as Black women and are child-bearing age are particularly at higher risk for Iron deficiency and IDA. This study, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) aims to examine the prevalence of Iron Deficiency alone or in the presence of anemia (IDA) when using higher cutpoints for ferritin levels more recently suggested by major medical organizations and based on symptoms and health outcomes. These cutpoints were applied to data for Black women of child-bearing age, pregnant and non-pregnant, with and without anemia from NHANES 2005-10 and 2015-20. The results showed that when higher cutpoints, from the typical recommended 15ng/ml, were applied significantly more people were classified as being Iron Deficient. This has important public health implications for future research because it supports the use of higher ferritin cutpoints, suggesting that many individuals who may be suffering symptoms and poorer health outcomes are not being diagnosed or treated for iron deficiency, when the lower cut point is used.