Distribution of serum transferrin, and its associations with metabolic disorders among Chinese: A nation-wide, health and nutrition survey.
METHODS
This study examined the associations of serum transferrin and metabolic disorders among Chinese population.


RESULTS
This study is based on nation-wide, population-based China Health and Nutrition survey including 8564 men and women aged 18 years or older. Anthropometric and fasting blood glucose, insulin, lipids, and transferrin data were collected. Elevated transferrin concentrations associated with higher body mass index, waist circumference, lipids, insulin, glucose (all p < 0.0001). Serum transferrin concentrations increased gradually with increasing numbers of metabolic syndrome (MetS) components among men and women (p = 0.0003). Elevated concentrations of transferrin were significantly related with higher risk of MetS (p = 0.0006), obesity (p = 0.0089), overweight (p < 0.0001). No associations between transferrin concentrations and risk of diabetes and high blood pressure were observed in both men and women.


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated transferrin concentrations were positively associated with risk of MetS and obesity, but not with risk of diabetes among Chinese.
Department of Internal Medicine of Laiwu People's Hospital Branch of Shandong Province, Shandong, China.
Hong-Qiang
HQ
Zhao
Department of Endocrinology of Laiwu People's Hospital of Shandong Province, Shandong, China.
He
H
Wu
Department of Endocrinology of Laiwu People's Hospital of Shandong Province, Shandong, China.
Ran
R
Meng
Department of Nutrition and Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Shufa
S
Du
Laiwu Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Shandong Province, Shandong, China.
Shu-Juan
SJ
Tao
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult
D014168:Transferrin
China Health and Nutrition Survey; Diabetes; Metabolic disorders; Obesity; Transferrin