Dietary factors associated with the risk of high iron stores in the elderly Framingham Heart Study cohort.
BACKGROUND
High body iron stores may increase the risk of several chronic diseases. Whether dietary factors contribute to the risk of high iron stores is unknown.


OBJECTIVE
We assessed the relation between dietary factors and the risk of high iron stores in the elderly Framingham Heart Study cohort.


METHODS
We examined the relation between the usual intake of dietary factors (food-frequency questionnaire) and the risk of high iron stores (serum ferritin >300 and 200 micro g/L in men and women, respectively) in 614 subjects aged 68-93 y.


RESULTS
The risk of high iron stores was significantly higher 1) in subjects who took > or =30 mg supplemental Fe/d than in nonusers [odds ratio (OR): 4.32; 95% CI: 1.63, 11.47], 2) in subjects who consumed >21 servings of fruit/wk than in those who consumed < or =14 servings/wk (OR: 2.88; 95% CI: 1.26, 6.61), and 3) in subjects who consumed >4 but <7 or > or=7 servings of red meat/wk than in those who consumed < or =4 servings/wk (ORs: 2.94 and 3.61, respectively; 95% CIs: 1.33, 6.47 and 1.57, 8.27, respectively). Whole-grain intake (>7 servings/wk) was inversely associated (OR: 0.23; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.75).


CONCLUSIONS
Among elders, intakes of highly bioavailable forms of iron (supplemental iron and red meat) and of fruit, a dietary source of an enhancer of nonheme-iron absorption (vitamin C), promote high iron stores, whereas foods containing phytate (whole grains) decrease these stores. Individual dietary patterns may be important modulators of high iron stores.
Fleming
Diana J
DJ
Mineral Bioavailability Laboratory, Jean Mayer US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
Tucker
Katherine L
KL
Jacques
Paul F
PF
Dallal
Gerard E
GE
Wilson
Peter W F
PW
Wood
Richard J
RJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001682:Biological Availability; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D002523:Edible Grain; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D005638:Fruit; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts; D008460:Meat; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors
D019266:Iron, Dietary; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron; D001205:Ascorbic Acid