Obese women less likely to have low serum ferritin, Nicaragua

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Amanda S. Wendt, Emory University; Maria E. Jefferds, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Cria G. Perrine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Patricia Halleslevens, Ministry of Health Managua; Kevin Sullivan, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2015-03
• Publisher: Cambridge
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © The Authors 2014
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1368980014000755
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Public Health Nutrition
• Volume: 18
• Issue: 04
• Start Page: 736
• End Page: 741
• Grant/Funding Information: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors. The primary author was supported by a T-32 Reproductive, Perinatal, Pediatric Predoctoral Fellowship through the National Institutes of Health (Grant # 2T32HD052460).
• Keywords: α1-Acid glycoprotein; Serum ferritin; Obesity; Inflammation; Iron deficiency
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Nutrition; Health Sciences, Public Health

Abstract

Objective To examine the association between overweight and obesity and serum ferritin among women of reproductive age (15–49 years) in Nicaragua, considering the effect of α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), a marker of inflammation. Design We analysed data from the 2004–05 Nicaraguan Integrated Surveillance System for Nutrition Interventions. Three logistic regression models were analysed with low serum ferritin (<15 μg/l) as the dependent variable: (i) overweight or obese status and covariates; (ii) model 1 plus AGP; and (iii) model 1 restricted to only women with normal AGP levels (≤1·0 g/l). Setting Nicaragua. Subjects Included in this analysis were 832 non-pregnant mother/caregivers (15–49 years) surveyed in 2004–2005. Results In the sample, prevalence of overweight and obesity was 31·8 % and 19·2 %, respectively, and 27·6 % had low serum ferritin. In model 1, the adjusted OR of low serum ferritin was 0·74 (95 % CI 0·52, 1·05) for overweight women and 0·42 (95 % CI 0·26, 0·65) for obese women. In model 2, AGP was significantly independently associated with low serum ferritin (adjusted OR=0·56, 95 % CI 0·34, 0·92) while the adjusted OR for overweight and obesity were largely unchanged. Excluding women with elevated AGP did not appreciably affect the relationship between overweight or obesity and low serum ferritin (model 3). Conclusions Overall, in this population of reproductive-age women, obese women were less likely to have low serum ferritin levels, and this was independent of inflammation as measured by AGP.