Introduction: iron deficiency anemia is a major public health issue due to its multiple biological, economic, and social consequences. It is common in young children due to the high iron requirements needed for their rapid growth and development. Objectives: analyze the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in children aged 6 to 24 months in Uruguay and assess its association with social determinants of health, aiming to generate evidence to guide public policy decision-making. Methodology: cross-sectional study with a sample of 264 children aged 6 to 24 months, participants of the National Survey on Breastfeeding, Feeding Practices, and Anemia conducted in 2019-2020. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used. Normality was tested, and mean differences between groups were compared as appropriate. In the multivariate analysis, a logistic regression model was adjusted to predict the presence of anemia in children. Conclusions: the prevalence of anemia was 27%; being a beneficiary of the Cercanías program, maternal anemia during pregnancy, public healthcare sector, and cesarean birth were identified as predictive variables for anemia in Uruguayan children, increasing the risk by 4.8, 4.61, 2.58, and 2.24 times, respectively. All associated factors are related to distal causes beyond the child. Addressing this issue requires an integrative, interdisciplinary, and multicausal approach with a strong economic component, involving different sectors of society.

Introducción: la anemia ferropénica constituye un problema mayor de salud pública debido a sus múltiples consecuencias biológicas, económicas y sociales. Es frecuente en niños pequeños debido a los altos requerimientos de hierro necesarios para su rápido crecimiento y desarrollo. Objetivos: analizar la prevalencia de anemia ferropénica en niños de 6 a 24 meses en Uruguay y evaluar su asociación con los determinantes sociales de la salud, con el fin de generar evidencia para orientar la toma de decisiones en políticas públicas. Metodología: estudio transversal con una muestra de 264 niños de 6 a 24 meses participantes de la Encuesta Nacional de Lactancia, Prácticas de Alimentación y Anemia realizado en los años 2019-2020. Se utilizaron estadísticas descriptivas y analíticas. Se testeó normalidad y se contrastó la diferencia de medias entre los grupos según correspondiera. En el análisis multivariado se ajustó un modelo de regresión logística para predecir la presencia de anemia en el niño. Conclusiones: prevalencia de anemia 27%; ser beneficiario del plan Cercanías, la anemia materna durante la gestación, sector público de salud y haber nacido por cesárea resultaron ser variables predictoras de la anemia en niños en Uruguay, incrementando el riesgo de padecerla en 4,8; 4,61; 2,58 y 2,24 veces respectivamente. Todos los factores asociados se relacionan a causas distales al niño. Se destaca la importancia de abordar la problemática con mirada integradora, interdisciplinaria, con un abordaje multicausal con fuerte componente económico y con los diferentes sectores de la sociedad involucrados.

Introduction: iron deficiency anemia is a major public health issue due to its multiple biological, economic, and social consequences. It is common in young children due to the high iron requirements needed for their rapid growth and development. Objectives: analyze the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in children aged 6 to 24 months in Uruguay and assess its association with social determinants of health, aiming to generate evidence to guide public policy decision-making. Methodology: cross-sectional study with a sample of 264 children aged 6 to 24 months, participants of the National Survey on Breastfeeding, Feeding Practices, and Anemia conducted in 2019-2020. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used. Normality was tested, and mean differences between groups were compared as appropriate. In the multivariate analysis, a logistic regression model was adjusted to predict the presence of anemia in children. Conclusions: the prevalence of anemia was 27%; being a beneficiary of the Cercanías program, maternal anemia during pregnancy, public healthcare sector, and cesarean birth were identified as predictive variables for anemia in Uruguayan children, increasing the risk by 4.8, 4.61, 2.58, and 2.24 times, respectively. All associated factors are related to distal causes beyond the child. Addressing this issue requires an integrative, interdisciplinary, and multicausal approach with a strong economic component, involving different sectors of society.