title: An investigation of the prevalence of iron overload in Nigerian women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Iron overload has been recognized to be a risk factor for numerous acute and chronic illnesses. It is generally assumed to be rare and acknowledgment of iron toxicity is difficult for some nutritional scientists, clinicians and laypersons. There is also a heightened interest to raise body iron through universal iron "fortified" foods.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated the need to examine the policy of unselective iron supplementation in a sub-Saharan African community.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a descriptive study carried out on 98 apparently healthy women attending a Papanicolaou (PAP) smear clinic for routine cervical cancer screening. Information on demographic data and diet were obtained with structured questionnaires and serum samples were analyzed for serum iron (SI) and total iron binding capacity (TIBC) which were used to derive the values for tranferrin saturation (TS%). Iron overload was defined by tranferrin saturation greater than 50%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of iron overload was 8.2% in women aged 26-71 years. Skilled workers constituted 44.9% of the population while semi-skilled and housewives were 50% and 5.1% respectively. Eighty four percent of the women had been on iron vitamin supplement at one time or the other. Mild anaemia was present in 25% of the women with iron overload. The prevalence of iron overload between women who were actively reproducing and those who were not was not statistically different.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Iron overload is common, therefore, iron studies may be included in routine investigation and selective iron supplementation should be encouraged. Moreso, iron loading anaemia should be ruled out in patients with anaemia before prescribing iron therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. folukefasola@yahoo.com
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Fasola
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Anetor
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: O S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Ilesanmi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D007501:Iron