Kabtafer Plus Medical Team · Last reviewed: 11 October 2026
Sources: WHO Global Health Observatory (2023 estimates), the WHO anaemia fact sheet (2025), UAE university studies (2007 and 2026), JAMA 2025, Kim & Tridane, PLoS ONE 2017, the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements and the British Society of Gastroenterology (2021).
The short answer
Anemia is common in the UAE and the wider GCC, especially among women. The World Health Organization estimates that about 28% of women aged 15–49 in the UAE were anemic in 2023, close to the global figure of about 31%, with Bahrain and Oman higher and Saudi Arabia lower. Recent UAE university studies have found even higher rates in young women. Because the UAE also has many carriers of thalassemia trait, a blood test that checks both hemoglobin and iron stores is the only reliable way to know what is going on.
Key points
- WHO estimates anemia in 28.2% of UAE women of reproductive age (2023), versus 30.7% globally — with a wide uncertainty range.
- Among GCC countries, Bahrain (38.4%) and Oman (34.4%) have the highest estimates; Saudi Arabia (17.6%) the lowest.
- A 2026 study of UAE university students found anemia in 60.7% of female and 24.6% of male students.
- Many more women have low iron stores without anemia yet — a normal hemoglobin does not rule out iron deficiency.
- Thalassemia trait is a separate, very common cause of small red cells in the UAE and does not respond to iron.
- A complete blood count (CBC) plus ferritin is the sensible first test for anyone with symptoms or risk factors.
How common is anemia in UAE women compared with the rest of the GCC?
The best comparable figures come from the WHO Global Health Observatory, which publishes modelled estimates for women aged 15–49 in every country. The latest year is 2023.
| Country | Women 15–49 with anemia (2023, estimated) |
|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | 28.2% (uncertainty interval 10.9–53.7%) |
| Saudi Arabia | 17.6% |
| Kuwait | 27.7% |
| Qatar | 23.6% |
| Bahrain | 38.4% |
| Oman | 34.4% |
| Global | 30.7% |
Read these numbers with care. They are model-based estimates, not a census, and the UAE’s uncertainty interval is very wide (see table). The fair summary is that roughly one in four to one in three women of reproductive age in the region is estimated to be anemic — a real public-health issue, but not a precise figure.
For young children (6–59 months), WHO estimated anemia at 20.4% in the UAE in 2019, compared with 39.8% globally.
What does the global picture look like?
According to the WHO fact sheet updated in February 2025, about 30% of women aged 15–49 worldwide — around 539 million women — were anemic in 2019. The rate rises to 37% in pregnant women and 40% in children aged 6–59 months. If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, see our guide to anemia in pregnancy.
What have UAE studies found?
Two studies of university students give a closer look at young adults in the UAE:
| Study | Who was tested | Anemia found |
|---|---|---|
| University of Sharjah, published 2007 (J Egypt Public Health Assoc) | 258 female students | 26.7% (Hb below 12 g/dL) |
| UAE university students, Platat et al., Front Public Health 2026 | Female and male students | 49.1% overall; 60.7% of females, 24.6% of males |
Student samples are not the whole population, and the two studies used different methods, so they are not a “trend”. But both show anemia is common in young women, and not rare in young men.
Can iron be low even if you are not anemic?
Yes, and this is often missed. Anemia is the late stage. Before hemoglobin falls, the body uses up its iron stores, measured by ferritin. A 2025 review in JAMA estimated that in high-income countries about 38% of non-pregnant women of reproductive age have iron deficiency without anemia, and about 13% have iron-deficiency anemia. In other words, a “normal” hemoglobin on your report does not mean your iron is fine. Symptoms such as tiredness, hair shedding and poor concentration can start at this stage — see iron deficiency symptoms in women, and learn how to read your results in anemia blood test explained.
Why might anemia be common in the region?
No national study ranks the causes in the UAE, so we will not put numbers on them. These well-established causes are likely to matter in everyday Gulf life:
- Heavy periods. According to the NIH, heavy menstrual bleeding accounts for about a third or more of iron-deficiency anemia in women of reproductive age. Read heavy periods and low ferritin.
- Tea, karak and coffee with meals. The polyphenols in tea and coffee reduce absorption of plant (non-heme) iron. See coffee, tea and iron absorption.
- Pregnancy and closely spaced pregnancies, which raise iron needs — see anemia in pregnancy and postpartum iron recovery.
- Vegetarian or low-meat diets. The NIH notes iron bioavailability is lower from vegetarian diets than from mixed diets. Our guide to iron-rich foods in the UAE can help.
- Changed meal patterns during Ramadan, when fewer meals and more tea at suhoor and iftar can affect iron intake — see Ramadan fasting and iron.
- Acid-reducing medicines (PPIs), which the NIH notes reduce non-heme iron absorption, and gut conditions such as coeliac disease or inflammatory bowel disease.
For the full picture of how iron is absorbed and what helps, see our iron absorption guide.
Is thalassemia trait part of the picture?
Yes — and it is a different problem from iron deficiency. A study by Kim and Tridane (PLoS ONE 2017) estimated that about 8.5% of the UAE population carry beta-thalassemia trait and about 49% carry alpha-thalassemia trait. Carriers often have small red blood cells and a mildly low hemoglobin that can look like iron deficiency on a basic blood count.
The difference matters: iron supplements do not correct anemia caused by thalassemia trait alone, and unnecessary iron is not harmless. The two can also exist together. This is why your doctor may check ferritin first and then order hemoglobin electrophoresis if iron is normal. Premarital screening is mandatory for couples in the UAE, and MOHAP added genetic testing to premarital screening for all Emiratis from January 2025. Read more in thalassemia trait vs iron deficiency.
Who should get a CBC and ferritin test?
Talk to your doctor about a complete blood count (CBC) and ferritin — available at DHA, DoH and MOHAP-licensed clinics and labs across the Emirates — if you:
- have ongoing tiredness, breathlessness on stairs, hair shedding, or pale skin;
- have heavy or long periods;
- are pregnant, planning pregnancy, or had a baby recently;
- eat little or no red meat, fish or poultry;
- have had bariatric surgery, coeliac disease, IBD, or take long-term acid-reducing medicines;
- donate blood regularly (the NIH reports 25–35% of regular donors develop iron deficiency);
- were told you have “small red cells” but your iron status was never checked.
Men and post-menopausal women with iron-deficiency anemia need their doctor to look for a cause, often including gut investigations, according to the British Society of Gastroenterology. Start with our anemia hub and iron-deficiency anemia guide.
Where Kabtafer Plus fits
Kabtafer Plus is an iron-free food supplement designed to support absorption of iron from food. It does not contain iron and is not a substitute for iron tablets or IV iron prescribed by your doctor. Anemia needs a diagnosis and its cause needs to be found first. It is not suitable for people with iron overload, or with thalassemia trait without iron deficiency — check with your doctor. You can read the studies on the formulation, learn more about Kabtafer Plus, or find where to buy it in the UAE.
Frequently asked questions
Is anemia more common in the UAE than worldwide?
Not clearly. WHO estimates 28.2% of UAE women aged 15–49 are anemic, close to the global 30.7%. The UAE estimate has a very wide uncertainty range, so the honest answer is “similar, and common”.
Which GCC country has the highest rate?
In WHO’s 2023 estimates for women of reproductive age, Bahrain (38.4%) and Oman (34.4%) are highest, and Saudi Arabia (17.6%) lowest.
My hemoglobin is normal. Can my iron still be low?
Yes. Iron deficiency without anemia is common. Ask for ferritin as well as a CBC, and see our blood test guide.
I have thalassemia trait. Should I take iron?
Only if tests show you are also iron deficient. Iron does not fix anemia caused by the trait itself. Your doctor will decide based on ferritin and other tests.
Does karak affect my iron?
Tea polyphenols reduce absorption of plant iron. Having karak between meals rather than with them is a simple change. See our tea and coffee guide.
This article is for general education and does not replace advice from your doctor or pharmacist.
Sources
- World Health Organization. Global Health Observatory: Prevalence of anaemia in women of reproductive age (15–49), 2023 estimates. ghoapi.azureedge.net
- World Health Organization. Anaemia — fact sheet. 10 February 2025. who.int
- University of Sharjah study of anaemia in female students (n=258). J Egypt Public Health Assoc. 2007;82(3–4):261–271.
- Platat C, et al. Study of anaemia in UAE university students. Front Public Health. 2026;14:1780083. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2026.1780083
- Auerbach M, DeLoughery TG, Tirnauer JS. Iron deficiency in adults: a review. JAMA. 2025;333(20):1813–1823. PMID 40159291
- Kim S, Tridane A. Thalassemia carrier estimates for the UAE. PLoS ONE. 2017;12(1):e0170485. PMC5279727
- Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP). Genetic testing as part of premarital screening for Emiratis. 2025. mohap.gov.ae
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Iron — Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. ods.od.nih.gov
- Snook J, et al. British Society of Gastroenterology guidelines for the management of iron deficiency anaemia in adults. Gut. 2021;70:2030–2051. gut.bmj.com