Evaluation of iron status in European adolescents through biochemical iron indicators: the HELENA Study

Marika Ferrari (1) , Lorenza Mistura (1) , Catherine Leclercq (1) , Emma Patterson (1) , Michael Sjöström (1) , Ligia Esperanza Díaz (1) , Peter Stehle (1) , Marcela González-Gross (1) , Mathilde Kersting (1) , Kurt Widhalm (1) , Dénes Molnár (1) , Frederic Gottrand (1) , Stefaan de Henauw (1) , Yannis Manios (1) , Anthony Kafatos (1) , La Moreno (1)

1 Applied Food Science

Objectives: To assess the iron status among European adolescents through selected biochemical parameters in a cross sectional study performed in 10 European cities. Methods: Iron status was defined utilizing biochemical indicators. Iron depletion was defined as low serum ferritin (SF<15µg/l). Iron Deficiency (ID) was defined as high soluble Transferrin Receptor (sTfR >8.5 mg/l) plus iron depletion. Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) was defined as ID with haemoglobin (Hb) below the WHO cut-off for age and sex: 12.0 g/dl for girls and for boys aged 12.5-14.99 years and 13.0 g/dl for boys aged ≥15 years. Enzyme Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) was used as analytical method for SF, sTfR and CRP. Subjects with indication of inflammation (C-Reactive Protein, CRP > 5 mg/l) were excluded from the analyses. 940 adolescents aged 12.5 to 17.49 years (438 boys and 502 girls) were involved. Results: The percentage of iron depletion was 17.6%, significantly higher in girls (21.0%) compared to boys (13.8%). The overall percentage of ID and IDA was 4.7% and 1.3% respectively, with no significant differences between boys and girls. A correlation was observed between Log(SF) and Hb (r=0.36, p<0.01) and between Log(sTfR) and Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin, MCH (r=-0.30, P<0.01). Iron body stores were estimated on the basis of Log(sTfR/SF). A higher percentage of negative values of body iron was recorded in girls (16.5%) respect to boys (8.3%) and body iron values tended to increase with age in boys while the values remained stable in girls. Conclusion: In order to ensure adequate iron stores, specific attention should be given to girls at European level to ensure that their dietary intake of iron is adequate.

Mots clés: anaemia; iron deficiency; adolescents; Europe

Marika Ferrari, Lorenza Mistura, Catherine Leclercq, Emma Patterson, Michael Sjöström, et al.. Evaluation of iron status in European adolescents through biochemical iron indicators: the HELENA Study. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2011, ⟨10.1038/ejcn.2010.279⟩. ⟨hal-00609403⟩