Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Obesity and iron‑deficiency anemia in women of reproductive age in northern Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Hajar Adib Rad
. Sayed Ali Asghar Sefidgar 1
. Ahmad Tamadoni 2
. Sadegh Sedaghat 3
. Fatemeh Bakouei
. Ali Bijani 4
. Shabnam Omidvar

1 Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences

2 Non-Communicable Pediatric Disease Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences

3 Cancer Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences

4 Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Obesity and iron deficiency (ID) are two forms of the most usual nutritional disorders
worldwide. Some studies have discovered a correlation between ID and obesity although more
investigation is required. This study was aimed to determine the association between obesity and
ID anemia (IDA) in Iranian childbearing age women.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross‑sectional study was done on 256 women of reproductive
age in northern Iran. The anthropometric measurements including height and weight were measured,
and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Low blood index of the hemoglobin (Hb), mean cell
volume (MCV), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) were evaluated with ferritin, serum iron,
and total iron‑binding capacity. Baseline data were expressed as means ± standard deviations.
Chi‑square test was applied to compare the categorical variable. Differences between the two groups
were evaluated with independent samples t‑test. A value of P < 0.05 was considered as statistically
significant.
RESULTS: Obesity was in urban women higher than rural women (55.1% vs. 44.9%), and this
difference was significant (P < 0.021). There was found no association between hematological
characteristics and BMI. The data showed that only 13.4% of obese women and 17.1% of the women
with normal weight had IDA (odds ratio = 0.75; 95% confidence interval: 0.39–1.49, P > 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of this study, it seems that the relationship between obesity
and IDA is controversial. Hence, further studies are needed to be done.

Keywords

Body mass index
iron‑deficiency anemia
obesity
reproductive age
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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 9, Issue 6
June 2019
Pages 1-5

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