J Nutr Health.  2020 Aug;53(4):381-389. 10.4163/jnh.2020.53.4.381.

Differences in serum ferritin and vitamin D levels of Korean women with obesity and severe obesity

• Kang NH
• Park JS
• Lee H
• Yim JE

• KMID: 2506200
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4163/jnh.2020.53.4.381

Abstract

Purpose
This study examined the relationships among serum ferritin, vitamin D, folate, iron, and vitamin B₁₂ as indicators of obesity. The results provide the basic data for the prevention and treatment of obese and severely obese people.
Methods
This study selected 44 people from 18 years of age or older to 59 years. This study used the indicators of the body mass index (BMI) to analyze obesity as the obesity group (BMI of 25.0–29.9 kg/m² ) and as the severe obesity group (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m² ). Of the 44 subjects, 23 and 21 subjects were in the obesity and severe obesity groups, respectively. Their height, weight, body fat, skeletal muscle mass measured using bioimpedance analysis, and measured serum nutrients and biochemical parameters.
Results
The obesity group showed a significantly lower age, body weight, BMI and body composition, body fat mass, and body fat percentage, and the height was significantly lower in the severe obesity group. The results of the biochemical parameters of the subjects showed that the levels of aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, hemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol, and triglyceride were within the normal range, and there was no significant difference between the 2 groups. The levels of folate, vitamin B₁₂ , 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ , iron, and ferritin were almost normal, and there was no significant difference between the 2 groups.
Conclusion
This study revealed an association with the serum nutrients and obesity, but there was no difference between the obesity group and severe obesity group. Observations of the nutrient levels in not only the blood in obesity and severe obesity but also in red blood cells and tissues will be necessary.

Keyword

obesity; ferritin; vitamin D