Sri Sumarmi*, Hamam Hadi**, W. Lestariana** and D.S. Nurdiati**
*Faculty of Public Health Airlangga University, Surabaya, Indonesia
**Faculty of Medicine Gajah Mada University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Background

Underweight and iron deficiency are very prevalent in many developing countries, including Indonesia, but it is unclear whether underweight is associated with some parameters of iron deficiency.

Objectives

To investigate the association between weight status, as measured by body mass index (BMI), and iron deficiency, among the young women.

Method

A cross sectional study was conducted at 9 subdistricts, 80 apparently healthy young women (age 15-26 years) were randomly selected from premarital list. Body weight and stature were measured, BMI was calculated and compare to with age-specific BMI reference values for adolescent subjects (age 15-20 years). Underweight was defined as a BMI less than 5th percentile. Venous blood sample were collected and analysed for Hb, serum ferritin and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR). Iron depleted is stated if serum ferritin concentration less than 12 g/L, iron deficiency erythropoiesis (IDE) when concentration of sTfR more than 4.4 mg/L.

Result

Of the 80 subjects, 23.8% were underweight. Anemia among underweight is 47.4% compare to who were normal and overweight subjects (29.5%). Iron depleted (16.7%) and IDE (37.5%) among underweight are higher than who were not underweight (5.3%) and (13.2%) respectively. Subject who were underweight was approximately three times to be iron depleted (OR: 3.167; 95% CI: 0.7-14.335), and to be IDE (OR: 2.839; 95% CI: 1.113- 7.241) as were those were not underweight.

Conclusion

Iron deficiency is more prevalent among underweight young women and risk for iron deficiency approximately three times compare to who were those not underweight.

Key word : anemia, iron deficiency, iron depleted, iron deficient erythropoiesis


Poster presentation at UINS 20th International Congress of Nutrition, Granada, Spain, 15-20 Sept 2013.
Research funded by Danone Institute Indonesia.