Background/Objectives: Healthy People 2010 emphasizes elimination of health disparity and improvements in anemia and iron deficiency (ID). The study purpose was to (1) determine the prevalence of anemia, ID and ID anemia (IDA) in children living in American Samoa and (2) compare the prevalence to that found in children living in the United States. Subjects/Methods: A total of 211 children from American Samoa, aged 1-5 years of age, participated in this cross-sectional study. Prevalence of anemia, ID and IDA were determined and comparison made using data obtained from children living in the United States. Anemia was diagnosed as hemoglobin (Hb) o110.0 g/l, ID as erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP) 470 mmol/mol heme and IDA as Hb o110.0 g/l and EP 470 mmol/mol heme. Results: Anemia, ID and IDA prevalence was 33, 70 and 33%, respectively. The results of children from the United States were as follows: anemia, 9%; ID, 10% and IDA, 2%. Within American Samoan children, ID is positively associated with being breastfed o6 months (Po0.05) and anemia and IDA with lower household income (Po0.05; Po0.01). Mean Hb was significantly lower (Po0.001) and mean EP was significantly higher (Po0.001) than those within children living in the United States. Conclusion: To meet Healthy People 2010 goals in children aged 1-2 years, the prevalence of ID in children living in American Samoa would need to decrease from 83 to 5% and in children aged 3-5 years from 59 to 1%. It is critical to ensure that populations within the United States and its territories are provided appropriate resources to promote health and prevent disease.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of anaemia, identify the predictors of anaemia, compare the prevalence of anaemia among children living in American Samoa to those found in children living in the USA, and compare the growth patterns obtained from this study to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data and data obtained earlier in American Samoan children. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: American Samoa, a Pacific Island. Subjects: In all, 208 children aged 5-10 years. Results: Anaemia (Hb , 11?5 g/dl) prevalence was 17?3 %. There was a significant difference in mean Hb levels in children within American Samoa as compared to National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III data (P , 0?05). In children with BMI Z-score (BMIZ) (P , 0?05) and weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ) (P , 0?05) .2?0, females had a significantly higher prevalence of anaemia than males. Females with a WAZ . 2?0 had a significantly higher prevalence of anaemia than females with a WAZ # 2?0 (P , 0?03). Risk factors for anaemia were mother having less than a high school education (P 5 0?02), no car (P , 0?01) and no phone (P 5 0?02). The BMIZ (P , 0?000), height-for-age Z-score (P , 0?000) and WAZ (P , 0?000) were significantly different from the distribution of CDC reference data and that found in children previously assessed in American Samoa. Conclusions: Anaemia is high among children aged 5-10 years living in American Samoa. Growth pattern Z-scores reveal that American Samoan children are, on average, taller, heavier and more overweight. Further examination into the causes of anaemia and overweight is warranted.