Cross-sectional studyindependent cross-checkabstract checked I-LEG-128 standard review
Anaemia in Egyptian toddlers
Anaemia among Egyptian Children between 2000 and 2005: trends and predictors.
Overview
Austin AM et al.. Matern Child Nutr 2012 · PMID 21951327 · DOI 10.1111/j.1740-8709.2011.00339.x
Measured anaemia in Egyptian children aged 1-3 years rose from 37% in 2000 to over 52% in 2005.
Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: moderate
Plain-language summary
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Track child anaemia.
- How was the study done?
National surveys.
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
Egyptian children 12-36 months.
- What was actually found?
Over half anaemic in 2005.
- How large was the observed effect?
+15 points.
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Children with pallor or tiredness need a blood test.
- What are the study's limitations?
Older data.
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Contradicts C-LEG-09's reasoning.
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
Egypt-specific.
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
It does not test the gas claim.
Scientific in-depth review
1. Full reference
- Authors
- Austin AM et al.
- Journal
- Matern Child Nutr
- Year
- 2012
- Identifier
- PMID 21951327 DOI 10.1111/j.1740-8709.2011.00339.x · PMC6860748
- Verification
- verified – PubMed efetch 2026-10-26 + Crossref works API
- Retracted
- no
- Corrections
- none
- Extent checked
- abstract only
- Conflicts of interest and funding
No conflict of interest declared.
2. Research question
How did anaemia in Egyptian children change between 2000 and 2005 and what predicted it?
3. Study design and population
- Study design
- Cross-sectional study – Repeated cross-sectional analysis of Egyptian Demographic and Health Surveys
- Population
Egyptian children 12-36 months
- Country
Egypt
- Period
2000 and 2005
- Sample size
National survey samples (size not in abstract)
- Inclusion and exclusion criteria
EDHS children with haemoglobin measured.
4. Methods and endpoints
- Exposure / intervention
Food consumption, illness, socio-demographics
- Comparator
Survey years
- Endpoints
Anaemia (Hb <11 g/dL)
- Statistical methods
Trend and regression analyses
5. Actual results
- Results
Anaemia rose from 37.04% to over 52%; younger age (<24 months), recent illness and residence in Upper Egypt predicted anaemia; consumption of nutritive foods declined and diarrhoea increased.
- Absolute risks
Prevalence >52% in 2005
- Authors' conclusion
Shifts toward less nutritive foods and more diarrhoea likely contributed; fortification may help.
6. Strengths
- Nationally representative data
- Haemoglobin measured
7. Weaknesses
- Older data
- Ecological interpretation of causes
- Abstract only
8. Risk of bias
- Orienting tool
- none applicable
- Type of assessment
- simplified assessment (abstract only)
- Full formal assessment
- no
- Overall risk of bias
- some concerns
- Rationale
Cross-sectional.
9. Assessment of the statistical interpretation
Rise of at least 15 percentage points in five years.
10. Relevance to the specific claim
Real, laboratory-measured anaemia is widespread among Egyptian children; symptoms must not be attributed to gas (C-LEG-09 safety).
11. Independent contrary findings
None.
12. Transferability to Germany and Europe
Egypt-specific.
13. Overall methodological judgement
Contextual safety evidence.
| Multidimensional assessment | |
|---|---|
| Authenticity of the source | verified |
| Methodological quality | moderate |
| Risk of bias | some concerns |
| Precision of results | high |
| Directness | direct |
| Reproducibility | partly replicated |
| Consistency with the overall evidence | consistent |
| Regional transferability | high |
| Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive) | not applicable |
14. Open questions
Current prevalence.