Prevalence of iron deficiency in Auckland high school students

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 (greater than or equal to 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 mu g/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.