Bull World Health Organ 2022;100:196–204 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2471/BLT.20.280180 Research 196 Introduction Anaemia among women of reproductive age is a major public health challenge that leads to serious health consequences for mothers. 1 Annually, more than 115 000 maternal deaths are attributed to anaemia worldwide. 2 Globally, nearly two in every five pregnant women and one in every three non-pregnant women of reproductive age have anaemia globally. 3 e prevalence of anaemia in women of reproductive age is high- est in low- and middle-income countries, 3,4 likely due to the interplay of dietary factors, nutrient deficiencies and increased incidence of infectious diseases such as malaria, human im- munodeficiency virus infection and parasitic infestations. 4 Anaemia in women of reproductive age has long-term consequences. Women with anaemia are at increased risk of adverse birth outcomes, 5 including increased risk of maternal death and delivering a low-birth-weight baby or small-for- gestational-age baby. 2,6–8 Anaemia in mothers is also associated with anaemia in their offspring 9 which may continue during the life course. In 2012, the Sixty-fiſth World Health Assembly approved an action plan for improving maternal, infant and child nu- trition, and set global nutrition targets that Member States approved and agreed to meet. One of the global nutrition targets is a 50% reduction in the prevalence of anaemia in women of reproductive age by 2025. 10 To achieve this reduc- tion, several strategies, such as improvement in dietary intake, food diversification, food fortification, and iron and folic acid supplementation for pregnant and lactating women, are being implemented globally. 3,11,12 However, these strategies need to consider the local context so that appropriate interventions can be put in place, particularly for marginalized communities. To measure the success of the action plans in achieving the global nutrition targets for anaemia, routine monitoring and evaluation of progress and projection of future direc- tions are essential. e last time evaluation of progress was done was in 2011, before the global nutrition targets were set. 3 Furthermore, to date, no projections have been made to identify which countries and populations within countries are unlikely to achieve the anaemia-related global nutrition targets. Projections of anaemia in women of reproductive age across different sociodemographic groups are central to identifying the key priority areas or groups (i.e. identifying the most disadvantaged groups to be covered by interventions) and reinforcing or reformulating policies to achieve country goals. However, few data exist on the prevalence of anaemia in various subgroups, which impedes the assessment of current strategies and design of effective planning for further actions. Our study aimed to examine the trends in, and projections of, the prevalence of anaemia in women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries at national and sub- population levels. We also reviewed the nutritional policies of the countries included in our study and their influence on reducing anaemia. a Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland, 80 Meiers Road, Long Pocket Precinct, Indooroopilly, Queensland 4068, Australia. b Spatial Epidemiology Laboratory, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Australia. c Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia. d Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh. e Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, United States of America. Correspondence to Md Mehedi Hasan (email: m.m.hasan@uqconnect.edu.au). (Submitted: 3 October 2020 – Revised version received: 14 October 2021 – Accepted: 27 December 2021 – Published online: 20 January 2022 ) Anaemia in women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries: progress towards the 2025 global nutrition target Md Mehedi Hasan, a Ricardo J Soares Magalhaes, b Sarah P Garnett, c Yaqoot Fatima, a Md Tariqujjaman, d Sonia Pervin, a Saifuddin Ahmed e & Abdullah A Mamun a Objective To examine trends in, and projections of, the prevalence of anaemia in women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries at national and subpopulation levels. Methods We used nationally representative data from repeated cross-sectional Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) on 1 092 512 women of reproductive age (15–49 years) from 15 low- and middle-income countries. We defined anaemia as haemoglobin < 11 g/dL for pregnant women and < 12 g/dL for non-pregnant women. We analysed data using Bayesian linear regression analyses. Findings During 2000–2018, the prevalence of anaemia in women of reproductive age decreased in nine countries, with the highest decrease in Malawi (−2.5%), and increased in six countries, with the highest increase in Burundi (10.9%). All countries are projected to have a prevalence of anaemia ≥ 15% in 2025, with the highest level in Burundi (66.8%). The prevalence of anaemia and projection of prevalence varied between and within countries. Women’s education, family wealth and place of residence had the highest impact on the current and projected prevalence rates of anaemia. Seven countries had a prevalence of anaemia ≥ 40%, which we defined as a severe public health problem, in the earliest and latest DHS and this prevalence is projected to persist in 2025. Conclusion None of the 15 countries is likely to meet the global nutrition target of a 50% reduction in the prevalence of anaemia in women of reproductive age by 2025. Global and country leaders should reconsider nutrition policies and reallocate resources targeting countries and communities at risk.