The association of iron status with educational performance and intelligence among adolescents.
BACKGROUND
The aim was to identify the association of iron status with educational performance and intelligence of adolescents.


METHODS
This was a cross sectional comparative study among adolescents aged 13-15 years. Each iron deficient student was matched with an iron sufficient student from the same school, class and sex. Iron status was based on haemoglobin and serum ferritin levels. The marks for mathematics, science, Sinhala language and social science were considered to assess educational performance. Intelligence was measured by Raven's Standard progressive matrices. All the possible confounders and effect modifiers were considered. Home visits to a sub-sample checked the quality of data.


RESULTS
The final analysis included 188 students (94 matched pairs). Neither educational performance nor intelligence showed significant associations with the iron status. The severity of the iron deficiency did not relate to these cognitive variables either. Twenty-three and 8 co-variables showed statistically significant associations with educational performance and intelligence respectively. Following a multiple regression analysis intelligence, the enthusiasm of the student towards learning, occupational ambition, household possession, problems at home and private tuition for mathematics were key factors predicting educational performance. Stunting and educational level of the mother were important factors influencing intelligence.


CONCLUSIONS
Iron status does not play a major role in educational performance and intelligence of school going adolescents. Several factors affect educational performance and intelligence. This study highlights the difficulty in extrapolating the findings of similar studies to different ecological settings.
Dissanayake
D S
DS
Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. devanisl2002@yahoo.com
Kumarasiri
P V R
PV
Nugegoda
D B
DB
Dissanayake
D M
DM
D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000150:complications*; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D058085:Iron Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology
D058085:Iron Compounds