title: Serum ferritin in children and adolescents. Results from population surveys in 1979 and 1986 comprising 1312 individuals.
abstract: Iron stores were assessed by measurement of serum ferritin in a population survey comprising 436 randomly selected urban Danish schoolchildren (219 boys, 217 girls) 7 to 17 years old. Median ferritin values were similar in boys and girls 7 to 13 years old, while 14- to 17-year-old boys had significantly higher values than girls of similar age (p < 0.0001). Boys had stable median ferritin values from 7 to 15 years of age, after which a significant rise was found from 16 to 17 years of age (p < 0.01). Girls had unchanged median ferritin values from 7 to 11 years of age, after which a significant decrease was found from 12 to 17 years of age (p < 0.01). The frequencies of low ferritin values < 16 micrograms/l (indicating absent iron stores) were: Children 7 to 11 years, 1.0%. Boys 12 to 15 years, 4.5%; 16 to 17 years, 0%. Girls 12 to 15 years, 7.6%; 16 to 17 years, 16.7%. Ferritin levels in the reported 1986 survey were significantly higher than those obtained in a similar survey in the same area in 1979. The results indicate an overall increase in iron stores in Danish schoolchildren and adolescents during 1979-1986, possibly due to an increase in the consumption of meat, and in the use of vitamin-mineral supplements containing iron.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Y Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Milman
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Backer
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Laursen
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Graudal
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Ibsen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jordal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D005293:Ferritins