• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: A large number of studies on anemia have focused mostly on pregnant women or children. The vegetarian population, which is another potential risk group for anemia, remains largely unexplored. Therefore, this cross-sectional study examined the associations of the sociodemographic, lifestyle, nutritional, and psychological factors with the anemia status among female adult vegetarians. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 177 female vegetarians were recruited from a Buddhist and Hindu organization in Selangor, Malaysia. The participants completed a self-administered questionnaire, which analyzed their sociodemographic characteristics, physical activity level, sleep quality, depression, anxiety, and stress. The body weight, height, waist circumference, and body fat percentage of the participants were also measured. A 3-day dietary recall was conducted to assess their dietary intake. Blood samples (3 ml) were withdrawn by a nurse from each participant to determine the hemoglobin (Hb) level. RESULTS: The findings revealed 28.2% of the participants to be anemic. The age group (AOR = 2.46, 95% CI = 1.19-5.05), marital status (AOR = 2.69, 95% CI = 1.27-5.71), and percentage of energy from protein (AOR = 5.52, 95% CI = 1.41-21.65) were the significant predictors of anemia. CONCLUSIONS: Anemia is a public health problem among female vegetarians in this study. Health promotion programs that target female adult vegetarians should be conducted to manage and prevent anemia, particularly among those who are married, aged 50 and below, and with an inadequate protein intake.

• Journal of Sport and Applied Science
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.11-23
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• 2022

New insights into the aetiology of anaemia in athletes have been discovered in recent years. From hemodilution and redistribution, which are thought to commit to so-called "sports anaemia," to iron deficiency triggered by higher requirements, dietary requirements, decreased uptake, enhanced losses, hemolysis, and sequester, to genetic factors of different types of anaemia (some related to sport), anaemia in athletes necessitates a careful and multisystem methodology. Dietary factors that hinder iron absorption and enhance iron bioavailability (e.g., phytate, polyphenols) should be considered. Celiac disease, which is more common in female athletes, may be the consequence of an iron deficiency anaemia that is unidentified. Sweating, hematuria, gastrointestinal bleeding, inflammation, and intravascular and extravascular hemolysis are all ways iron is lost during strength training. In training, evaluating the iron status, particularly in athletes at risk of iron deficiency, may work on improving iron balance and possibly effectiveness. Iron status is influenced by a healthy gut microbiome. To eliminate hemolysis, athletes at risk of iron deficiency should engage in non-weight-bearing, low-intensity sporting activities.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.298-298
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• 2020

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.29-33
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• 1998

The present study was designed to compare the nutrient intake and iron status of athletic female students majoring in aerobics (n=18) to those of age-matched(20-22 yr) sedentary controls (n=19). The athletic students were exercising regularly for 9.1$\pm$1.4 hrs/wk and the mean training period of aerobics was 2.9$\pm$0.2 years. Means of height, weight, and body mass index calculated as the Quetlet index were similar between athletic and sedentary students. However, mean body fat % of the athletic students (22.3$\pm$1.0%) was significantly lower than that of the sedentary controls (25.8$\pm$0.6%), indicating the effects of routine exercise. Mean daily iron intake was not significantly different between groups (9.9$\pm$0.7 mg vs. 10.9$\pm$0.8 mg), but much lower than the Korean RDA (18 mg/d) in both groups. Dietary calcium intake of the athletic students was significantly lower than that of the sedentary controls. Hematocrit (Hct) and hemoglobin (Hb) values were significantly lower in the athletic students than in the sedentary students (Hct : 40.0$\pm$0.7% vs. 43.8$\pm$0.5% ; Hb : 12.6$\pm$0.3g/dl vs. 14.8$\pm$0.3 g/dl). However, other iron status values such as serum iron, TIBC, and transferrin saturation were not significantly different between groups. Therefore, the low hemoglobin levels in the athletic group are probably due to plasma dilution in endurance-trained individuals. Serum ferritin level was a little lower in the athletic group, but no significant difference between groups was found. Serum triglyceride concentration in the athletic students was significantly lower than that in the control students. In conclusion the findings suggest that regular training of female athletes majoring in aerobics is associated with an increased risk of pseudoanemia due to plasma volume expansion and a decreased risk of coronary heart disease by decreasing body fat and blood lipid level.