Korean J Hematol.  2005 Sep;40(3):159-166. 10.5045/kjh.2005.40.3.159.

Iron Status in Korean Middle School Students and Possible Association with Obesity

• Han SJ
• Hong YJ
• Son BK
• Choi JW
• Hyun IY
• Kim SK

• KMID: 1610809
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5045/kjh.2005.40.3.159

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%). CONCLUSIOM: 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.

Keyword

Anemia; Iron deficiency; Adolescents; Serum ferritin; Transferrin saturation; Obesity

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Anemia
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency
Diagnosis
Education
Feeding Behavior
Female
Ferritins
Humans
Incheon
Iron*
Male
Obesity*
Overweight
Prevalence
Transferrin
Ferritins
Iron
Transferrin

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Prevalence of anemia in females aged 12 to 14 years.

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  Fig. 2. Prevalence of iron deficiency in females aged 12 to 14 years.

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  Fig. 3. Prevalence of IDA in females aged 12 to 14 years.

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