title: Serum ferritin contributes to racial or geographic disparities in metabolic syndrome in Taiwan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Asians and Pacific Islanders have higher circulating serum ferritin (SF) compared with Caucasians but the clinical significance of this is unclear. There is a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Taiwanese Indigenous than Han Chinese. Genetically, Indigenous are related to Austronesians and account for 2 % of Taiwan's population. We tested the hypothesis that accumulation of Fe in the body contributes to the ethnic/racial disparities in MetS in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based, cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  National Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan and Penghu Island.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2638 healthy adults aged ≥19 years. Three ethnic groups were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Han Chinese and Indigenous people had comparable levels of SF. Austronesia origin was independently associated with MetS (OR = 2·61, 95 % CI 2·02, 3·36). After multiple adjustments, the odds for MetS (OR = 2·49, 95 % CI 1·15, 5·28) was significantly higher among Indigenous people in the highest SF tertile compared with those in the lowest tertile. Hakka and Penghu Islanders yielded the lowest risks (OR = 1·08, 95 % CI 0·44, 2·65 and OR = 1·21, 95 % CI 0·52, 2·78, respectively). Indigenous people in the highest SF tertile had increased risk for abnormal levels of fasting glucose (OR = 2·34, 95 % CI 1·27, 4·29), TAG (OR = 1·94, 95 % CI 1·11, 3·39) and HDL-cholesterol (OR = 2·10, 95 % CI 1·18, 3·73) than those in the lowest SF tertile.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results raise the possibility that ethnic/racial differences in body Fe store susceptibility may contribute to racial and geographic disparities in MetS.
authors.affiliation: 1School of Nutrition and Health Sciences,Taipei Medical University,Taipei City,Taiwan, Republic ofChina.
authors.forename: Jung-Su
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Public Health,College of Medicine,Taipei Medical University,250 Wu-Hsing Street,Taipei City,Taiwan 110, Republic ofChina.
authors.forename: Shiue-Ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: 1School of Nutrition and Health Sciences,Taipei Medical University,Taipei City,Taiwan, Republic ofChina.
authors.forename: Jane C-J
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.affiliation: 1School of Nutrition and Health Sciences,Taipei Medical University,Taipei City,Taiwan, Republic ofChina.
authors.forename: Yi-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: 1School of Nutrition and Health Sciences,Taipei Medical University,Taipei City,Taiwan, Republic ofChina.
authors.forename: Chi-Mei
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: 1School of Nutrition and Health Sciences,Taipei Medical University,Taipei City,Taiwan, Republic ofChina.
authors.forename: Ni-Hsin
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: 3Institute of Biomedical Science,Academia Sinica,Nankang,Taipei,Taiwan, Republic ofChina.
authors.forename: Wen-Harn
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Public Health,College of Medicine,Taipei Medical University,250 Wu-Hsing Street,Taipei City,Taiwan 110, Republic ofChina.
authors.forename: Chyi-Huey
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Bai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D044468:Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron