Serum transferrin receptor levels for the assessment of iron status and iron deficiency in populations

Overview

This document aims to provide users of the Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition System (VMNIS) with guidance about the use of serum transferrin receptor levels for assessing the iron status of populations. It is a compilation of the current World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations on the topic and summarizes existing information on the population cut-off values for the prevalence of iron deficiency.

The use of these prevalence cut-off values permits the identification of populations at greatest risk of iron deficiency and priority areas for intervention. It also facilitates the monitoring and evaluation of progress towards international goals of preventing and controlling iron deficiency.