A Systematic Review and Evidence Gap Analysis of Dietary and Biochemical Profiles of Blood Donors

Mélila Mamatchi, Afangbom Kossi and Feteke Lochina

Transfusion safety is a global priority and a major public health issue, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, where blood donation rates remain low. In 2016, approximately 118.5 million donations were recorded worldwide, of which only 5‰ came from African countries, compared to 31.5‰ in high-income countries. This disparity highlights the need to strengthen the promotion of blood donation by taking greater account of donor health, a determining factor in the availability of this vital fluid. The quality of nutrition plays an essential role in maintaining the health of donors and influences their ability to give blood. It is therefore essential to assess their eating habits and nutritional status to effectively guide prevention and promotion strategies. This literature review aims to provide an overview of the available data on blood donors in relation to their nutritional, biochemical and hematological profiles. The research was conducted using several scientific search engines and databases (Google Scholar, WHO and EFS publications, PubMed, MEDLINE, ScienceDirect). Of the 994 articles reviewed, only eight addressed hematological aspects (hemoglobin, iron, red and white blood cells, platelets) and none explored nutritional or biochemical profiles. These results highlight the need to integrate nutritional considerations into donor promotion and monitoring policies to enhance transfusion safety.

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