Correlation of Anemia Due to Poor Iron Status With Obesity at King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background Saudi Arabia has a high prevalence of chronic diseases such as obesity. Moreover, iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in developing countries is the most prevalent type of anemia. This study aims to assess the correlation between anemia related to poor iron status and obesity. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the obesity center in King Fahad Medical City, Saudi Arabia, from April to September 2020. Two hundred and forty participants were needed to be included in the study. The data was gathered by utilizing a designed data collection form. Socio-demographic data, weight and height, questions related to the history of anemia, and gynecological data (for females) were collected. The data was analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) version 28.0. Descriptive statistics were used to present numerical and categorical data and a Chi-square test was conducted to assess the correlation between categorical variables. Informed written consent was obtained from all participants and ethical approval was obtained from the Ethical Board Committee in King Fahad Medical City. Results The study included 240 participants. Two-thirds of the study population are females (64.6%), 66.7% are married, and 65.8% have obesity. Almost one-half of the study population (46%, N=128) was diagnosed with IDA with malnourishment being the most common reason for IDA (88.2%). The results indicated a correlation between obesity and the prevalence of IDA. The prevalence of IDA among participants with obesity (60.4%) was significantly higher compared to non-obese participants (39.5%), p=0.002. The study found that females and underweight individuals have a higher prevalence of IDA (p<0.001). Conclusion Results of the present study suggest that obesity could be associated with a risk of IDA. In addition, Saudi women could be more prone to IDA than men. Further prospective controlled studies among diverse populations in Saudi Arabia including laboratory assessment of inflammatory markers and iron status are required to better understand the correlation between obesity and IDA.