Iron deficiency is mainly prevalent among infants, pregnant women, and women of child-bearing age.
These groups are vulnerable because of their high physiological requirements. Iron deficiency can occur as a consequence of pathological losses of iron from the body or of physiological requirements for iron beyond the amount that is absorbed from foods. Recently, many reports on iron deficiency have focused on tissue effects beyond the limitation of the synthesis of haemoglobin. The most important aetiology of iron deficiency in developing countries is, rather than inadequate intake, poor absorption or bioavailability of iron from the diet. Iron in these diets comes predominantly or totally from cereals and vegetables, i.e., it is non-haem iron.