IRON-DEFICIENCY AMONG PREGNANT PAKISTANIS IN NORWAY AND THE CONTENT OF PHYTIC ACID IN THEIR DIET

Background. To test the hypothesis that iron deficiency is more common among pregnant Pakistani than pregnant Norwegian women in Oslo; and t o determine whether differences in the diet can explain some of the di fferences in stored iron. Methods. A cross sectional study in the 18th week of pregnancy. Thirty-eight Pakistani women and 38 Norwegian wome n referred to routine ultrasound examination at Aker and Ulleval Hospi tals in Oslo participated. Analysis was undertaken of phytate (inosito l hexaphosphate) and its degradation products in bread and chapatti. R esults. Twenty-six (68%) of the Pakistani and six (17%) of the Norwegi an women had ferritin levels below 12 mu g/l and a highly significant difference in serum ferritin was found between the groups (p<0.001). O nly one of the Pakistani and seven of the Norwegian women were supplem ented with iron and there were no significant differences in the dieta ry intake of hem iron, non-hem iron, organic fiber, tea, ascorbic acid , meat or cereals. The content of inositol hexaphosphate (phytate) and inositol pentaphosphate, well known inhibitors of iron absorption, we re measured in bread and chapatti and the estimated dietary intake was much higher in the Pakistani group, mean (95% CI) was 1175 mu mol/day (933-1417) and 507 mu mol/day (417-597) respectively, p<0.001. Conclu sions. Iron deficiency seems to be far more common among pregnant Paki stanis in Norway than among pregnant Norwegians. We speculate that the main reasons for this are a combination of a higher parity and a less common use of iron supplementation in pregnancy in the Pakistani grou p, and a higher content of phytate in the Pakistani diet.