Objectives
Toassess the iron status among nonpregnant women in China.
Methods
Serum ferritin, serumsoluble transferrin receptorand high sensitive C-reactive protein of 1625 and 2076 women in big cities and poverty rural areas were measured in the National Health and Nutrition Survey from 2010 to 2012, respectively.
Results
The distribution of serum ferritin, serum soluble transferrin receptor and body iron for age subgroups were significantly different both in big cities and poverty rural areas. In each subgroup, the concentration of serum soluble transferrin receptor in big cities was significantly lower than that in poverty rural areas, but no difference for serum ferritin. Depending on the iron status indicator applied, the prevalence of iron deficiency ranged from 2.4 to 14.4% among girls aged 6-17.9 y and 4.9 to 13.6% amongnonpregnantwomen aged=18 y.
Conclusions
The different iron indicators identified similar groups at greatest risk of iron deficiency. The iron status for adolesecent girls aged 12-17 and women of childbearing aged 18-44 y should be improved. The observation accumulated iron status data in Chinese women that could support understanding iron nutritional status and be used for iron nutrition promotion project targeted for women.
