A study has been made of the haemoglobin levels of 475 people over the age of 65 living at home. Anaemia (Hb less than 12 g/100 ml) was commoner in women than men and increased in frequency with age. Haemoglobin concentrations below 10 g/100 ml were found in only 2·4 per cent.Iron deficiency was the cause of anaemia in 45 per cent, and 10 per cent of non-anaemic subjects also had evidence of iron deficiency. Gastrointestinal lesions and regular salicylate ingestion were common causes of iron deficiency, but evidence of dietary iron deficiency was indefinite.Vitamin B12deficiency was found in 9 per cent of anaemic and 5 per cent of non-anaemic subjects. Folate deficiency was rare (1 per cent of subjects), and there was no evidence that dietary folate deficiency contributed to anaemia.No cause for anaemia was found in 30 per cent of anaemic subjects. In the majority of these the haemoglobin concentration was just below 12 g/100 ml, and was probably normal for them.These findings are discussed with regard to population screening procedures in old age
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