A Growing Number of Children Suffer from Anemia    [23-04-2010] It is important for children to eat well-balanced meals. Your diet should include all the necessary nutrition. If you lack certain essential nutrients, you may feel sick. Sadly, according to a recent report, the number of kids suffering from anemia is increasing in Korea. What is anemia? You can suffer from it when there are not enough red blood cells in your blood. If you have anemia, you may have a fast heart rate, feel dizzy, and have a headache. Your energy levels also decrease. You may even faint in severe cases. Anemia in children is usually caused by having a low iron level. A lack of iron in the body causes your blood count to be low. It can make you feel tired and weak. Your skin may also turn pale. Anemia can lead to many problems such as learning disabilities and behavioral problems. According to the National Health Insurance Corporation국민건강보험공단, the number of children who are suffering from anemia has increased sharply over the last 7 years. In 2008 alone, a total of 943 Korean children were diagnosed with anemia. Sadly, the number of young anemia patients keeps increasing in Korea. This is a serious problem. In order to fight against anemia, you need to eat foods that are rich in iron. Foods rich in iron include meat, fish, eggs, and oysters. Vegetables such as beans, spinach, and other green vegetables are also a good source of iron. It is also important to check your blood count regularly. If you feel dizzy or weak, ask your parents to take you to the hospital to check if you have anemia.     출처: 어린이 영자신문 키즈타임즈 (www.kidstimes.net)