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Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA)
A disease caused by lack of iron in an organism's body, due to shortfall in diet or due to dietary iron not being bioavailable (digestible) to that organism's body. For example, the phytate that is naturally present in traditional varieties of corn (maize) inhibits absorption of the iron in that corn (maize) by humans, swine and poultry.
IDA is a major cause of childhood diseases and maternal death (i.e., death of the mother following childbirth) in many developing countries. IDA also makes people more susceptible to diphtheria.
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