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Minerals, trace elements, Vit. D and bone health

Intake and dietary sources of haem and non-haem iron among European adolescents and their association with iron status and different lifestyle and socio-economic factors

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 67, pages 765–772 (2013)Cite this article

Subjects

A Corrigendum to this article was published on 06 November 2013

Abstract

Background/Objectives:

Adolescents are at risk of iron deficiency because of their high iron requirements. The aims of this study were: (1) to assess iron intake, its determinants and its most important food sources and; (2) to evaluate the relation of iron intake and status in European adolescents.

Subjects/Methods:

Two non-consecutive 24-h recalls were completed by a computerised tool. The socio-demographic and socio-economic data were collected by a self-reported questionnaire. Weight and height were measured. A distinction was made between haem and non-haem iron.

Results:

The total iron intake was significantly higher among boys (13.8 mg/day; n=1077) than girls (11.0 mg/day; n=1253). About 97.3% of the boys and 87.8% of the girls met the estimated average requirement, and 72.4% of the boys and 13.7% of the girls met the recommendation for bio-available iron intake. The ratio of haem/non-haem iron intake was lower for girls than boys. Meat (19.2; 76%) and bread and rolls (12.6;3.9%) contributed most to total and haem iron intake. Bread and rolls (13.8%) and meat (10.8%) contributed most to non-haem iron intake. Age, sex and body mass index were associated with iron intake. Only red blood cell concentration was significantly negatively associated with total, haem and non-haem iron intake.

Conclusion:

Girls had lower iron intakes and ratio of haem/non-haem iron intake than boys. The main total iron and haem iron source was meat, while the main non-haem iron source was bread and rolls. Adolescent girls may be a group at risk for iron deficiency. Consequently, special attention and strategies are needed in order to improve iron intakes during adolescence.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health and Surveillance, Scientific Institute of Public Health, Brussels, Belgium

    S Vandevijvere

  2. Department of Public Health, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium

    N Michels, S Verstraete, K Stevens, S De Henauw & I Huybrechts

  3. INRAN-National Research Institute for Food and Nutrition, Rome, Italy

    M Ferrari & C Leclercq

  4. Department of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Granada, Spain

    M Cuenca-García

  5. Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece

    E Grammatikaki & Y Manios

  6. Inserm U995, IFR114, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Lille2, Hôpital J de Flandre CHRU de Lille, France

    F Gottrand

  7. Department of Health and Human Performance. Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences (INEF). Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    J V Santamaría & M Gonzalez-Gross

  8. Research Institute of Child Nutrition, Dortmund, Germany

    M Kersting

  9. Institut für Ernährungs- und Lebensmittelwissenschaften-Humanernährung, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms Universität, Bonn, Germany

    M Gonzalez-Gross

  10. GENUD (Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development) Research Group, School of Health Sciences (EUCS),University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain

    L Moreno & T Mouratidou

  11. INSERM U744, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France

    A Meirhaeghe & J Dallongeville

  12. Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Unit for Preventive Nutrition, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden

    M Sjöström, L Hallstrom & A Kafatos

  13. School of Health Care and Social Welfare, Mälardalens University, Västeras, Sweden

    L Hallstrom

  14. Medical University Wien, Clinical Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition, Vienna, Austria,

    K Widhalm

  15. Department of Pediatrics, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary

    D Molnar

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Vandevijvere, S., Michels, N., Verstraete, S. et al. Intake and dietary sources of haem and non-haem iron among European adolescents and their association with iron status and different lifestyle and socio-economic factors. Eur J Clin Nutr 67, 765–772 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2013.100

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