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The Association between Hepcidin and Iron Status in Children and Adolescents with Obesity

Ekkarit Panichsillaphakit1,2, Orapa Suteerojntrakool3,4, Chitsanu Pancharoen5

  • 1Division of Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.

Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
|July 14, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Iron deficiency (ID) is more common in obese Thai children, with higher hepcidin levels compared to non-obese controls. BMI-SDS positively correlates with hepcidin-25 in this pediatric population.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Nutritional Science
  • Hematology

Background:

  • Iron deficiency (ID) is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency in children.
  • Obesity is linked to chronic low-grade inflammation, potentially affecting iron homeostasis via hepcidin.
  • Investigating the relationship between iron status, hepcidin, and BMI-standard deviation score (BMI-SDS) in obese children is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the associations between iron status, serum hepcidin-25, and BMI-SDS in Thai children with and without obesity.
  • To compare iron status and hepcidin levels between obese and non-obese pediatric groups.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 63 obese and 27 non-obese Thai children (5-15 years old).
  • Analysis of complete blood count, serum iron, ferritin, transferrin saturation, and total iron binding capacity.
  • Serum hepcidin-25 levels were measured using an ELISA kit.

Main Results:

  • Iron deficiency was diagnosed in 42.9% of obese children.
  • Serum hepcidin-25 levels were significantly higher in obese children (with or without ID) compared to controls.
  • A positive correlation was observed between BMI-SDS and serum hepcidin-25 levels (r=0.28, p=0.001).

Conclusions:

  • Thai children with obesity exhibit a higher prevalence of iron deficiency and elevated serum hepcidin-25 compared to controls.
  • Further research with larger cohorts and interventions like weight loss programs is recommended to elucidate these associations.
Abstract

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