Journal List > Korean J Hematol > v.40(3) > 1032624

Han, Hong, Son, Choi, Hyun, and Kim: Iron Status in Korean Middle School Students and Possible Association with Obesity

Abstract

Background

Iron deficiency (ID) in Korean adolescents still remains a problem. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of iron status and investigate the relationship between the iron status and obesity.

Methods

Hematological examinations were performed on apparently healthy 12~14 year old students (M: F=451: 442) living in Incheon during September, 2004. ID was defined as a serum ferritin concentration <10ng/mL. The diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) was established when anemia (male <12.5g/dL, female <12g/dL) was associated with a ferritin level <10ng/mL and/or transferrin saturation <16%. Using age- and gender-specific BMI percentiles, overweight was defined as a BMI=85th percentile.

Results

The prevalence of ID and IDA were 8.4 and 15.6% and 0.9 and 4.5% in males and females, respectively. Using an analysis based on the BMI, the prevalence of obesity were 21.8 and 16.2% in males and females, respectively. The prevalence of ID in male students was decreased in the obesity (0.0%) compared with the non-obesity group (11.4%). In female students, ID showed a higher frequency in the non-obesity (20.4%) compared with the obesity group (12.0%).

Conclusion

Iron deficiency still remains a major nutritional problem in adolescent females, with the prevalence of obesity significantly increasing. Although no association between the prevalence of iron deficiency and obesity was shownin this study, it is important to screen for iron deficiency and obesity, and provide effective nutritional education. Furthermore, the association of obesity with iron deficiency in relation to eating behavior should be investigated.

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Fig. 1.
Prevalence of anemia in females aged 12 to 14 years.
kjh-40-159f1.tif
Fig. 2.
Prevalence of iron deficiency in females aged 12 to 14 years.
kjh-40-159f2.tif
Fig. 3.
Prevalence of IDA in females aged 12 to 14 years.
kjh-40-159f3.tif
Table 1.
Trends in iron status among 12~14 year old Korean adolescents between 1996 to 2004
  Hemoglobin (g/dL) Hematocrit (%) Iron (μg/dL) TIBC (μg/dL) TS (%) Ferritin (ng/dL)
1996
 M (n= 79) 13.7± 0.8 40.6± 2.5 127.6± 43.0 387.9± 47.7 29.3± 12.2 26.1± 16.9
 F (n= 87) 13.1± 0.7 39.0± 2.0 99.4± 34.9 387.8± 45.5 36.9± 13.2 22.7± 14.2
2000
 M (n= 193) 13.8± 0.9 40.8± 2.5 n/a n/a 33.6± 12.7 16.8± 9.7
 F (n= 164) 13.0± 0.9 38.6± 2.5 n/a n/a 30.1± 11.9 13.1± 9.2
2004
 M (n= 451) 14.6± 1.0 43.6± 2.7 98.0± 32.6 362.9± 33.8 30.2± 16.8 27.7± 19.0
 F (n= 442) 12.6± 1.2 38.2± 3.0 88.5± 34.2 356.7± 33.4 20.7± 12.2 24.7± 15.6

Mean± SD. Abbreviations: TIBC, total iron binding capacity; TS, transferrin saturation; n/a, not available.

Table 2.
Iron status according to BMI
  Hemoglobin (g/dL) Iron (μg/dL) TIBC (μg/dL) Ferritin (ng/mL) TS (%) C holesterol (mg/dL)
BMI<85
 M (n= 114) 13.95± 1.2 98.85± 38.1 360.46± 38.1∗ 28.62± 32.8 27.57± 11.2 154.17± 30.3
 F (n= 129) 13.42± 1.0 93.34± 41.6 365.54± 37.2 22.49± 17.0 25.74± 11.4 172.95± 30.1
BMI≥85
 M (n= 32) 14.18± 1.5 95.72± 45.2 374.75± 37.8∗ 35.46± 19.8 25.68± 12.6 164.69± 37.8
 F (n= 25) 13.13± 1.2 91.24± 37.9 369.24± 46.3 24.73± 26.8 24.73± 10.0 161.84± 49.2

P= 0.05. Mean± SD, ∗P= 0.02, Abbreviations: See Table 1; BMI, body mass index.

Table 3.
Prevalence of Iron deficiency according to BMI
  IDA ID without Anemia ID
BMI<85
 M (n= 114) 2 (1.8%) 11 (9.6%) 13 (11.4%)
 F (n= 129) 6 (4.7%) 20 (15.5%) 26 (20.2%)
BMI≥85
 M (n= 32) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%)
 F (n= 25) 1 (5.0%) 2 (8.0%) 3 (12.0%)

Abbreviations: IDA, iron deficiency anemia; ID, iron deficiency; BMI, body mass index.

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