Peru has experienced an important economic growth over the last decades and has improved its population wealth. Nonetheless, a large proportion of children are suffering from anaemia due to insufficient iron levels in their blood. That situation generates a great hazard to the future of Peruvian children and their adult health. The roots of this problem are likely to be complex because numerous ecological, biological, social and political factors explain in part the persistence of anaemia. The majority of the government interventions are currently focused on treatment and not to prevention. However, only treating this disease might have side effects, as too much iron, interacting with other nutritional or environmental factors, can also negatively affect growth and development.
This research will contribute to social and economic development of Peru by first comprehending the complexity of factors determining iron deficiency anaemia in distinct parts of Peru and using the outcome to develop integral lasting policies.