Investigating the Association Between Anemia and Biochemical Factors in Relation to New Anthropometric Metrics in an...

Obesity has become one of the most significant health issues worldwide, and the relationship between obesity and anemia remains controversial. This study aims to assess the relationship between lipid-based obesity parameters, new anthropometric indices, and anemia in the Kurdish population of Iran.

9810 participants (48.2% male and 51.8% female) were evaluated in the present study. Study data were collected from the initial phase of the Ravansar non-communicable disease cohort study (RaNCD). All anthropometric and laboratory factors were measured using standard guidelines and methods.

The prevalence of anemia was 8.95%, with 72% of cases in females and 27% in males. No significant difference was observed in body mass index (BMI) between groups. Anemic individuals exhibited significantly higher levels of waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), weight-adjusted weight (WWI), body adiposity index (BAI), and a body shape index (ABSI) compared to non-anemic individuals. In contrast to BMI, these parameters showed a negative association with RBC count, HCT, and HB. ABSI presented the highest odds for anemia (OR = 2.26; 95% CI: 1.68-3.03), followed by lipid accumulation product (LAP) (OR = 1.6 in males and 1.55 in females), BAI (OR = 1.39), and HC (OR = 1.34). BMI was conversely associated with anemia (OR = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.51-0.93). Quadratic fit plots by gender revealed a positive correlation between BMI and HGB levels in males with BMI < 30. Additionally, WC and HC in females and WWI and ABSI in males were negatively correlated with Hb levels.

Current results suggest that the shape of obesity and local fat accumulation may have a more significant association with anemia. Therefore, anthropometric indices reflecting localized obesity could be more practical parameters for anemia assessment.