Abstract:
Aims. To determine the frequency of iron deficiency and
anaemia in high school students.
Method. The survey was carried out at eight Auckland
high schools with a high proportion (≥15%) of Pacific
Islands students. All students in Forms 5-7 at these
schools were invited to participate, and 1644 students
(Pacific Island 765, Asian 350, European 295, Maori
234) had iron assessments (response rate 61%). Iron
deficiency was defined as any two (or more) of the
following, three: serum ferritin <12 μg/L, iron
saturation <14%, or red cell distribution width >14.5%.
Anaemia was defined as haemoglobin <120 g/L for
females and <130 g/L for males.
Results. Iron deficiency and anaemia were each ten times
more common in girls (18.3% and 11.5%, respectively) than
boys (1.5% and 1.4%). In females, iron deficiency was two to
three times more common in Maori (25.6%), Pacific Islanders
(20.9%) and Asians (15.4%) compared with Europeans
(8.3%), while anaemia was three to four times more common
in Asians (15.9%), Pacific Islanders (12.1%) and Maori
(11.2%) compared with Europeans (4.2%). Iron deficiency
and anaemia prevalences were inversely associated with
aerobic fitness, but not with age or years since menarche.
Conclusion. Prevalences of iron deficiency and anaemia
are high in non-European female adolescents in Auckland,
for reasons currently unknown.