Association of soybean-based food with the prevalence of anaemia among reproductive-aged men and women in rural Central Java, Indonesia.

Callum Lowe,Darren Gray,Matthew Kelly,Budi Laksono,Donald Stewart,Johanna Kurscheid,Haribondhu Sarma,Salvador Amaral

doi:10.1017/s1368980021005000

Callum Lowe, Darren Gray + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1017/s1368980021005000

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Abstract

To assess the association between soybean consumption and anaemic status in Central Java, Indonesia. As part of an overarching sanitation improvement intervention in Central Java, Indonesia, we conducted a cross-sectional study in four rural villages. The study consisted of a 24-h food recall, anthropometric measurements, blood Hb measurement and stool sampling to test for soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection status. A binary logistic regression model was fitted to test the association between soybean consumption and anaemic status after adjusting for socio-demographic factors, STH infection, dietary diversity and anthropometric status. This study took place in four rural villages of Wonosobo regency, Central Java, Indonesia. Participants were rural villagers aged between 15 and 49 years. A total sample size of 763 was attained, of which 231 were anaemic. The prevalence of anaemia was 30·2 % among men and women of reproductive age, and highest among young males. Consumption of soybean was high (79·8 %). After adjusting for covariates, the protective association between soybean consumption and anaemia was statistically significant (AOR = 0·53, 95 % CI = 0·30, 0·95, P < 0·05). There was a positive association with anaemia among underweight (AOR = 2·75, 95 % CI = 1·13, 6·69, P < 0·05) and those with high diet diversity (AOR = 1·40, 95 % CI = 1·00, 1·97, P < 0·05). Our results were consistent with studies from other countries finding a protective association between soybean consumption and anaemia. This association appeared stronger for tofu than for tempeh. The prevalence of anaemia in rural Central Java is relatively consistent with nation-wide statistics indicating that interventions targeting anaemia are still largely required.

Highlights

Anemia is a condition where hemoglobin concentrations are below the normal level to meet a person’s physiological needs, and affects one third of the world’s population[1]
Little variation in consumption was observed between socio-demographic factors, there was some indication that tempeh consumption increases with age
Results from our study demonstrated that anemia is prevalent among 15-49 year old villagers in rural Central Java, and soybean consumption is associated with a reduced risk of anemia

Summary

Introduction

Anemia is a condition where hemoglobin concentrations are below the normal level to meet a person’s physiological needs, and affects one third of the world’s population[1]. The prevalence of anemia in Indonesia has steadily increased[5] following a downward trend observed between 1997 and 2008(6). Limited literature exists on the causes of this increase, it is possible that the rising rates of overweight/obesity are responsible as these conditions are associated with anemia[7]. In 2018, the prevalence of anemia among pregnant women nationwide was estimated at 48.9%(6,8). No population wide estimate of anemia prevalence across all demographics in Indonesia has been reported in over a decade, but more recent studies still report high prevalence, with one 2016 study finding 40.7% of pregnant Indonesian women in North Sumatra anemic[9]

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