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Published on: May 10, 2022
Diet and iron status of nonpregnant women in rural Central Mexico
Jeffrey R Backstrand1, Lindsay H Allen, Anne K Black
1Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, New York University, New York, USA. backstr@umdnj.edu
Background:
Few studies have examined the relation of iron status to diet in populations from developing countries with high levels of iron deficiency and diets of poor quality.
Objective:
The objective was to identify nutrients, dietary constituents, and foods that are associated with better iron status in a rural Mexican population.
Design:
A prospective cohort study was conducted in rural central Mexico. The subjects were 125 nonpregnant women aged 16-44 y. During the 12 mo before blood collection, food intakes were assessed repeatedly by a combination of dietary recalls, food weighing, and food diaries [mean (+/-SD) days of food intake data: 18.8 +/- 5.9 d]. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, and plasma ferritin were measured at the end of the study.
Results:
Higher plasma ferritin concentrations were associated with greater intakes of nonheme iron and ascorbic acid after control for age, BMI, breast-feeding, season, and the time since the birth of the last child. Higher ascorbic acid intakes, but not higher intakes of heme and nonheme iron, predicted a lower risk of low hemoglobin and hematocrit values after control for the background variables. Consumption of the alcoholic beverage pulque predicted a lower risk of low ferritin and low hemoglobin values. Seasonal variation in ferritin, hemoglobin, and hematocrit values was observed.
Conclusion:
Better iron status was associated with greater intakes of foods containing nonheme iron and ascorbic acid. PULQUE:a beverage containing iron, ascorbic acid, and alcohol-may influence the iron status of women in rural central Mexico.
