Related Experiment Videos
Iron status of elderly Americans
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|November 1, 1982
Summary
Iron intake remains adequate for most Americans until age 75, but dietary sources shift. Standard anemia tests are unreliable for assessing iron deficiency in the elderly.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Nutritional Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Limited research exists on iron status in individuals over 75.
- Dietary iron sources shift with age, impacting bioavailability.
- Elderly individuals generally have lower iron requirements than younger populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the current understanding of iron nutriture in the elderly.
- To address the lack of standardized methods for assessing iron deficiency in older adults.
- To investigate the suitability of common anemia indicators for the elderly population.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from the Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.
- Review of physiological data regarding iron requirements across age groups.
- Examination of laboratory measurements for iron status assessment.
Main Results:
- Mean iron intake is adequate until age 75, with a shift from meat to cereals.
- Dietary iron bioavailability changes due to altered food sources require further study.
- Hemoglobin and hematocrit are not reliable indicators of iron deficiency in the elderly.
Conclusions:
- The elderly are not a primary target for iron deficiency based on physiological needs.
- Existing anemia screening methods are inadequate for older adults, especially older Black individuals.
- Further research is needed to understand factors contributing to lower hemoglobin in the elderly.