Body iron reserves of rural and urban Guatemalan women of reproductive age.
Body iron reserves (using serum ferritin as an index), hematological status, and other indicators of iron nutrition were evaluated in three groups of non-pregnant nulliparous women with ages comprised between 14 and 29 years (mean = 19 years). The first group (n = 33) included residents of the rural coastal area (less than 750 m above sea level) (group RCG); the second (n = 32) from the rural highlands (751-1,500 m) (group RHG); and the third group (n = 104) from urban Guatemala City (1,500 m) (group UG). The women in the UG group belonged to the middle or high socioeconomic stratum. Median values in serum ferritin levels (ng/ml) for each group were: RCG = 11.5 (undetectable 50.6); RHG = 17.2 (1.9-83.1) and UG = 20.2 (3.9-56.7). The difference between RCG and UG was statistically significant (P less than 0.05). The percentage of women with serum ferritin levels less than or equal to 9 ng/ml (iron deficiency) was 45 in the RCG, 25 in the RHG and 12 in the UG group. In addition, the prevalence of subnormal hemoglobin levels (below mean - 1 SD) was 46% in the RCG, 12% in the RHG and 8% in the UG. There were no cases of subnormal blood folate levels. As results indicate, the women studied had low iron reserves, the rural coastal group being the most affected. They also evidenced the high prevalence of iron deficiency in the region and the need for public health actions to overcome this nutrition problem.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006166:Guatemala; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population
D005293:Ferritins; D005492:Folic Acid; D007501:Iron