Family History as a Risk Factor for Iron Deficiency Anemia among Korean Adolescents: Data from the Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES)

Chueh, Hee Won; Choi, Yun Chang; Shin, Jung Hyun; Yoo, Jae Ho

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a disease prevalent throughout the world. However, there is limited information regarding whether familial factors are associated with the risk of adolescent IDA.
METHODS
This study evaluated the association between adolescent IDA and family history of IDA using data from the fifth Korea National Health Nutrition Survey (2010-2012). Data from 10-18-year-old children who underwent laboratory testing were analyzed.
RESULTS
The overall prevalence of IDA was 3.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.4âˆ’4.1%), with prevalence of 0.5% among boys (95% CI: 0.2âˆ’1.3%) and 6.2% among girls (95% CI: 4.6âˆ’8.3%). The prevalence of IDA was associated with female sex (odds ratio [OR]: 13.43, 95% CI: 4.92âˆ’36.65; P < 0.001) and a family history of IDA (OR: 3.12, 95% CI: 1.11âˆ’8.76; P=0.03). Other risk factors for IDA were receiving social welfare support (OR: 3.31, 95% CI: 1.45âˆ’7.56; P=0.031), low maternal education (OR: 3.12, 95% CI: 1.39âˆ’6.99; P=0.006), receiving charitable food support (OR: 2.27: 95% CI: 0.9âˆ’5.44; P=0.04), poor body-image (OR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.16âˆ’3.93; P=0.026), and weight-loss efforts (OR: 2.42, 95% CI: 1.27âˆ’4.61; P=0.01). Nutritional supplementation protected against IDA (OR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.19âˆ’0.82; P=0.007), although adolescents with awareness of nutritional labels had a high IDA prevalence (OR: 8.06, 95% CI: 1.71âˆ’38.05; P < 0.001).
CONCLUSION
A family history of IDA was an independent risk factor for IDA. Further studies are needed to determine whether family-level educational interventions can reduce the risk of adolescent IDA.