The overall prevalence of anemia worldwide across all ages was 24.3 percent in 2021. The prevalence of severe anemia at that time was only .9 percent, while an estimated 14.1 percent of the global population suffered from mild anemia. Anemia is a condition in which a person does not have enough healthy red cells to effectively carry oxygen throughout the body. Factors that increase the risk of anemia include a diet lacking certain vitamins and minerals, such as iron and vitamin B-12, menstruation, pregnancy, and certain chronic conditions like cancer, diabetes, and kidney failure. This statistic shows the prevalence of anemia across all ages worldwide in 2021, by severity.
Prevalence of anemia across all ages worldwide in 2021, by severity
Characteristic
Prevalence
Severe
0.9%
Moderate
9.3%
Mild
14.1%
0%2.5%5%7.5%10%12.5%15%17.5%
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Lancet (Haematology). (July 30, 2023). Prevalence of anemia across all ages worldwide in 2021, by severity [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved June 09, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1474476/global-anemia-prevalence-all-ages-by-severity/
Lancet (Haematology). "Prevalence of anemia across all ages worldwide in 2021, by severity." Chart. July 30, 2023. Statista. Accessed June 09, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1474476/global-anemia-prevalence-all-ages-by-severity/
Lancet (Haematology). (2023). Prevalence of anemia across all ages worldwide in 2021, by severity. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: June 09, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1474476/global-anemia-prevalence-all-ages-by-severity/
Lancet (Haematology). "Prevalence of Anemia across All Ages Worldwide in 2021, by Severity." Statista, Statista Inc., 30 Jul 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1474476/global-anemia-prevalence-all-ages-by-severity/
Lancet (Haematology), Prevalence of anemia across all ages worldwide in 2021, by severity Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1474476/global-anemia-prevalence-all-ages-by-severity/ (last visited June 09, 2025)
Prevalence of anemia across all ages worldwide in 2021, by severity [Graph], Lancet (Haematology), July 30, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1474476/global-anemia-prevalence-all-ages-by-severity/
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