Assessing Iron Deficiency Anemia in Obese Adolescents and Identifying Contributing Factors

Abstract

Objective: Clinical outcomes can be significant for obesity and iron deficiency, two public health issues for which adolescents are especially vulnerable. The aim of this study was to assess the iron parameters and blood vitamin B12 levels in obese adolescents and identify the contributing variables to the development of anemia. Material and Method: The present study involved a retrospective evaluation of 260 children (130 obese-130 control) who were admitted to the Ankara Pediatrics Haematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Pediatric Outpatient Clinics, between March 2013 and May 2015. Body mass index (BMI) above the 95th percentile for age and gender was required for inclusion in the study group, which included children aged 12 to 18 years without acute or chronic illnesses. Data from patient files were used to collect information on physical examination findings, sociodemographic characteristics, daily dietary status, and level of physical activity. All patients had evaluations for CRP, iron parameters, vitamin B12, and complete blood count. Results: The study revealed that the obese group had significantly higher serum ferritin levels (p=0.002) and lower serum iron and vitamin B12 levels (p=0.036 and 0.047, respectively) as compared to the control group. In the obese population, elevated BMI has been demonstrated to be correlated with elevated CRP levels. Conclusion: In obese children, low serum iron and high ferritin levels can be regarded as typical reference values. Furthermore, it was discovered that low vitamin B12 levels were not associated with nutrition in obese children, although they were at risk for developing low levels