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SPA Newsletter

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Volume 17 Number 3
Summer 2004 Newsletter
spa@societyhq.com

Overweight children and adolescents; A risk group for iron deficiency

Nead KG, et al. Pediatrics 2004;114:104-108

A representative sample of 9,698 overweight children and adolescents was studied to determine the prevalence of iron deficiency. The national Health and Nutrition Survey (1988-1994) was used and it provided data on children 2-16 years of age. Variables available on these children included; transferring saturation, free erythrocyte protoporphyrin levels and serum ferritin levels. Children with two or more abnormal lab values were considered iron deficient.

Risk for overweight was defined as age and gender specific BMI between the 85th and 95th percentile and overweight defined as BMI >95th percentile. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between overweight and iron deficiency, controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, parental education and socio-economic status.

Iron deficiency was most prevalent in the 12-16 year old age group. The prevalence of iron deficiency increased as BMI increased from normal to risk for overweight to overweight. The risk was, 2.1%, 5.3%, 5.5% respectively. In the multivariate analysis, children in the at risk for overweight and overweight categories were twice as likely to be iron deficient as those in the normal BMI category.

Commentary

In their conclusion, the authors suggest that criteria for iron deficiency screening for overweight should perhaps be modified to include children with elevated BMI. I wonder if our routine preop assessment should include a BMI calculation. Children with elevated BMI who are being evaluated for surgical procedures might also benefit from a check of the hematocrit.


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