Final answer:
Individuals with anemia have a lower affinity for oxygen due to the condition's impact on the blood's ability to carry oxygen, which alters the oxygen-binding curve of hemoglobin to require more oxygen for adequate saturation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Individuals with anemia exhibit a lower affinity for O2 with the same level of oxygen availability. This is particularly evident in diseases such as sickle cell anemia and thalassemia, which impact the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity. A consequence of anemia can be an altered O2-binding curve of hemoglobin, meaning that more oxygen is needed to achieve the same level of hemoglobin saturation compared to a person without anemia. The binding curve of hemoglobin in individuals with anemia may shift to the right, indicating that increased partial pressure of oxygen is needed for hemoglobin to be sufficiently saturated with O2.