title: Gender differences in associations of serum ferritin and diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity in the China Health and Nutrition Survey.
abstract: METHODS
  This study examines gender differences in associations of serum ferritin and diabetes, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and obesity in Chinese.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on a nationwide, population-based China Health and Nutrition survey this study included 8564 men and women aged 18 years or older. Anthropometric and fasting blood glucose, insulin, lipids, ferritin, and transferrin data were collected. Ferritin concentrations were higher in men than women (201.55 ± 3.6 versus 80.46 ± 1.64 ng/mL, p < 0.0001). The prevalences of MetS, diabetes, obesity, and overweight were 8.05, 8.97, 4.67, 25.88% among men and 14.23, 6.58, 5.81, 26.82% among women, respectively. Elevated ferritin concentrations were associated with higher body mass index, waist circumference, lipids, insulin, glucose (all p < 0.0001). Serum ferritin concentrations increased gradually with aging among women. The inverted U-shaped association between serum ferritin and age was observed among men. Elevated concentration of ferritins were significantly related with higher risk of MetS (p < 0.0001), obesity (p = 0.010), overweight (p < 0.0001), and diabetes (p < 0.0001) among men, but not among women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a gender difference in associations between ferritin and MetS, obesity, and diabetes in Chinese adults. Further evaluations of the variation in gender on these associations are warranted to understand the mechanisms behind gender differences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Ling-ling
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Yu-xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiao-lei
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Che
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shufa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Lin-na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Suo
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002681:China; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D005293:Ferritins
keywords: China Health and Nutrition Survey; Ferritin; Metabolic syndrome; Obesity