Iron and folate status of an adolescent female population

Iron and Folate Status in Urban and Rural Costa Rican Teenagers

This study evaluated the iron and folate status of Costa Rican adolescents and their dietary intake of these micronutrients. Hematological data, serum ferritin, serum folate and iron and folate intakes were evaluated in 307 adolescents aged 13 to 17 years. The prevalence of anemia was 4%. Iron deficiency was found in 3% of adolescents and iron-deficiency anemia in 2% or less. The prevalence of deficient serum folate levels was less than 1%. Over 50% of females and around 20% of males did not consume 66.7% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for iron. Iron bioavailability in the diet of urban adolescents was intermediate, whereas it was low in the diet of rural adolescents. Approximately 53% of adolescents did not consume two-thirds of the RDA for folate. It is necessary to modify adolescents’ food habits in order to ensure an adequate iron and folate intake.

The prevalence of folic acid deficiency among adolescent girls living in Edirne, Turkey

PURPOSE

A high incidence of iron-deficiency is a common observation among adolescent girls, whereas only limited data are available regarding the folic acid status of this group. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of biochemical folic acid deficiency in a group of Turkish adolescent girls.

METHODS

We surveyed the serum folic acid, complete blood count, and dietary folic acid intake of Turkish adolescent girls after using three-day self-reported food intakes in urban and rural areas of Edirne, Turkey.

RESULTS

A sample population was composed of 704 adolescent girls; their serum folic acid levels were found to be adequate for 37.6% (> or = 6 ng/mL), marginal for 46% (3 to 5.9 ng/mL), and at deficient levels for 16.3% (< 3 ng/mL). Folic acid deficiencies were found in 20.1% (36 of 179) and 14.7 % (61 of 416) of adolescent girls from rural and urban areas, respectively. Self-reported three-day folic acid intakes were correlated with the corresponding blood values for this nutrient. In the logistic regression analysis, three factors emerged as significant independent predictors of folic acid deficiency: low income (odds ratio [OR]: 2.4, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3-4.2, p < .001), low vitamin C (OR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.1-3.5, p < .05), and folic acid intake (OR: 4.8, 95% CI: 2.8-8.1, p < .001).

CONCLUSION

Data from the present study may indicate that serum folic acid is low in a group of Turkish adolescent girls. These low values appear to be associated with low income, and low dietary intakes of folic acid and vitamin C.

Iron and zinc status of young women aged 14 to 19 years consuming vegetarian and omnivorous diets

OBJECTIVE

To assess the iron and zinc status of young females, aged 14 to 19 years, consuming vegetarian and omnivorous diets.

METHODS

Dietary intakes (via 3-day weighed food records), BMI, and laboratory indices of iron and zinc status were compared in a convenience sample of 79 lacto-ovo-vegetarians (LOV), 16 semi-vegetarians (SV), and 29 omnivorous (OM) females.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine percent LOV, 44% SV, and 17% OM had low iron stores (i.e., plasma ferritin < 12 micrograms/L); only 3% had anemia. As well, 24% LOV, 33% SV, and 18% OM had serum zinc < 10.71 mumol/L and 14% LOV, 14% SV, and 17% OM had hair zinc < 1.68 mumol/g. Intakes of iron and ascorbic acid from the weighed food records were associated with serum iron (p < 0.04) and total iron binding capacity (negatively; p < 0.02), respectively, whereas Phy:Zn molar ratios were associated with serum zinc (negatively; p < 0.04). Z-scores for BMI were associated with serum zinc (p < 0.02) and diet type (p < 0.001); serum AP activity was associated with age (p < 0.0001) and oral contraceptive use (p < 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Suboptimal iron and zinc status was attributed to low intakes of poorly available iron and zinc in all dietary groups.

Biochemical folate, B12, and iron status of a group of pregnant adolescents accessed through the public health system in southern Ontario

PURPOSE

This study was designed to estimate the prevalence of biochemical iron, folate, and vitamin B12 depletion among a group of Canadian pregnant adolescents accessed through the Public Health system. Further, the impact of prenatal supplement use, chronologic age, gynecologic age, living arrangement, main source of income, postpartum custody plan, time of entry into prenatal care, and cigarette smoking on laboratory indices of the three nutrients were determined.

METHODS

Fifty-eight adolescents (14.5-19.0 years) were interviewed and blood samples were collected at 36 +/- 2 wk gestation.

RESULTS

Thirteen (22%) of the pregnant adolescents had anemia (hemoglobin < 110 g/L) and forty-five (78%) had depleted iron stores (plasma ferritin < 26.6 pmol/L or 12.0 micrograms/L). Twenty-five subjects had plasma B12 values in the sub-optimal range (< 148 pmol/L). Five of the 16 adolescents who infrequently or never consumed a folate-containing supplement had suboptimal erythrocyte folate values. Twenty-four percent of the subjects had hypersegmented neutrophils and of these, all and 71% of subjects had plasma ferritin and B12 concentrations in the suboptimal range, respectively. Self-reported folic acid and B12 supplement intakes were correlated with the corresponding blood values for these nutrients. In contrast, supplement iron use was only weakly, or not at all associated with biochemical indices of iron status.

CONCLUSIONS

Data from the present study indicate that plasma B12 and ferritin levels are low in a group of pregnant adolescents. These low values appear to be associated with a high prevalence of hypersegmented neutrophils. Prenatal supplement use appears to reduce the risk of low folate and B12 blood values but not biochemical iron status.