Iron-deficiency anemia in an Iranian population associated with high intakes of iron
Haghshenass, M.; Mahloudij, M.; Reinhold, J.G.; Mohammadi, N.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 25(11): 1143-1146
1972
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9165 PMID: 5086036 DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/25.11.1143Document Number: 507183
In 5 typical villages in southern Iran, 30% of the children and 24% of women and 7% of men over 16 years old had 12 g Hb/100 ml or less. Packed red cell volumes were correspondingly low. In representative village diets there was on average 98 plus or minus 10.1 mu g Fe/g dry diet. Daily intake of Fe by 18 boys 13 to 14 years old in 3 villages was on average 44.4 plus or minus 4.49 mg and exceeded 18 mg in 16.Treatment of children and adults with less than 10.5 g Hb/100 ml or with packed cell volume less than 33% with 18 and 109 mg Fe as ferrous sulphate daily was followed by a prompt rise in both values. Hb concentrations remained normal or nearly so 8 months after treatment was stopped. The occurrence of iron-deficiency anaemia despite the high content of Fe in the diet is attributed to the substantial amounts of phytate in the unleavened wholemeal wheat bread which is the main dietary staple of the villagers.