Iron status and self-perceived health, well-being, and fatigue in female university students living in New Zealand.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationship between iron depletion and self-perceived health, well-being, and fatigue in a female university student population living in New Zealand.


METHODS
A total of 233 women aged 18-44 years studying at Massey University, Auckland, were included in this cross-sectional analysis. Serum ferritin (SF), hemoglobin (Hb), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were analyzed from a venipuncture blood sample. Participants completed the SF-36v2 General Health Survey (SF-36) and the Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory-Short Form (MFSI-SF) questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements (height and weight) and data on demographics, lifestyle, and medical history were obtained. Characteristics of iron-sufficient (SF ≥ 20 μg/L, Hb ≥ 120 g/L) and iron-depleted (SF < 20 μg/L, Hb ≥ 120 g/L) participants were compared, and multiple regression analyses were carried out to determine predictors of health, well-being, and fatigue using a p value of <0.01 to indicate statistical significance because multiple comparisons were being made.


RESULTS
There were no significant differences in self-perceived health and well-being determined using the SF-36 questionnaire between women who were iron sufficient and women who were iron depleted. Although MFSI-SF physical fatigue was significantly lower in those with iron depletion (p = 0.008), it was not predicted by current iron status in a multivariate model controlling for factors expected to be associated with iron status and fatigue (p = 0.037). However, smoking, a history of suboptimal iron status, and having a current medical condition were significant (negative) predictors of MFSI-SF physical fatigue, explaining 22.5% of the variance (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the other measures of fatigue determined using the MFSI-SF between women who were iron sufficient and those who were iron depleted.


CONCLUSIONS
Women with iron depletion did not differ significantly from women who were iron sufficient with regard to self-perceived health, well-being, or fatigue. Future studies investigating fatigue should control for previous diagnosis of suboptimal iron status, smoking, and presence of a medical condition.
Institute of Food Nutrition and Human Health, Massey University Albany, Auckland, New Zealand. K.L.Beck@massey.ac.nz
Kathryn L
KL
Beck
Cathryn A
CA
Conlon
Rozanne
R
Kruger
Anne-Louise M
AL
Heath
Christophe
C
Matthys
Jane
J
Coad
Welma
W
Stonehouse
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D008019:Life Style; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
D006454:Hemoglobins; D019266:Iron, Dietary; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005293:Ferritins