Anemia is common in the general population and one of the most frequently observed nutritional deficiency diseases in the world today. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and etiology of anemias in a large cohort representing the Turkish nation. Materials and methods: The study population comprised 2187 subjects. Serum iron, iron binding capacity, ferritin, vitamin B12, and folic acid analyses were conducted with autoanalyzers using commercial kits. Results: A total of 565 (25.8%) subjects (423 females and 142 males) were diagnosed as anemic. The prevalence of anemia was 30.0% in female and 18.2% in male participants. Iron deficiency was present in 26.7%. Two hundred sixty-five (46.9%) had microcytic, 297 (52.6%) had normocytic, and 3 (0.5%) had macrocytic anemia. Although 29.3% had B12 and 2.2% had folic acid deficiency, in only 3 cases was macrocytosis determined. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that the prevalence of anemia in Turkey is higher than that reported in previous studies. Moreover, mean corpuscular volume is not always an available guide, and should not be used alone in the diagnosis of megaloblastic anemia, and it should be kept in mind that iron deficiency can cover macrocytosis.

Anemia is common in the general population and one of the most frequently observed nutritional deficiency diseases in the world today. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and etiology of anemias in a large cohort representing the Turkish nation. Materials and methods: The study population comprised 2187 subjects. Serum iron, iron binding capacity, ferritin, vitamin B12, and folic acid analyses were conducted with autoanalyzers using commercial kits. Results: A total of 565 (25.8%) subjects (423 females and 142 males) were diagnosed as anemic. The prevalence of anemia was 30.0% in female and 18.2% in male participants. Iron deficiency was present in 26.7%. Two hundred sixty-five (46.9%) had microcytic, 297 (52.6%) had normocytic, and 3 (0.5%) had macrocytic anemia. Although 29.3% had B12 and 2.2% had folic acid deficiency, in only 3 cases was macrocytosis determined. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that the prevalence of anemia in Turkey is higher than that reported in previous studies. Moreover, mean corpuscular volume is not always an available guide, and should not be used alone in the diagnosis of megaloblastic anemia, and it should be kept in mind that iron deficiency can cover macrocytosis.