Table 2.

World Health Organization criteria for public health significance of anemia

Prevalence of
Anemia, %
Category of Public
Health Significance
≤4.9No public health problem
5.0–19.9Mild public health problem
20.0–39.9Moderate public health problem
≥40.0Severe public health problem

Note: The more prevalent the condition, the more severe it is seen as a public health problem within a population.6