The role of blood loss and diet in the aetiology of mild iron deficiency in premenopausal adult New Zealand women.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of blood loss and diet in the aetiology of mild iron deficiency (MID) in premenopausal New Zealand women. Mild iron deficiency was defined as low, but not necessarily exhausted, iron stores (i.e. serum ferritin <20 microg/L) in the absence of anaemia (i.e. haemoglobin > or =120 g/L).


METHODS
Cross-sectional study of a volunteer sample of premenopausal adult women. Information on habitual dietary intakes (using a specially designed and validated computerised iron food frequency questionnaire), health and demographic status, sources of blood loss (including menstrual blood loss estimated using a validated menstrual recall method), contraceptive use, height and weight, haemoglobin, serum ferritin and C-reactive protein were collected.


METHODS
Dunedin, New Zealand during 1996/1997.


METHODS
Three hundred and eighty-four women aged 18-40 years.


RESULTS
The characteristics that were associated with an increased risk of MID were: low meat/fish/poultry intake, high menstrual blood loss, recent blood donation, nose bleeds, and low body mass index. The protective factors included shorter duration of menstrual bleeding, and multivitamin-mineral supplement use in the past year.


CONCLUSIONS
There are a number of potentially modifiable factors that appear to influence risk of MID. Women with low menstrual blood loss may be able to decrease their risk of MID by increasing their meat/fish/poultry intake, while those with a higher menstrual blood loss may be able to decrease their risk by decreasing their menstrual blood loss, perhaps by changing their method of contraception. Women should be encouraged to maintain a healthy body weight, and those who choose to donate blood, or who experience nose bleeds, should have their iron stores monitored.
Heath
A L
AL
Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Skeaff
C M
CM
Williams
S
S
Gibson
R S
RS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008598:Menstruation / Q000502:physiology*; D008903:Minerals / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D017697:Premenopause; D012307:Risk Factors; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016387:Women's Health
D004044:Dietary Proteins; D008903:Minerals; D014815:Vitamins; D007501:Iron