Dietary iron intakes and biochemical iron status of 15-49 year old women in New Zealand: is there a cause for concern?

Aim. To assess dietary iron intakes and biochemical iron status of a nation ally representative sample of nonpregnant 15-49 year old women (n=1751) in New Zealand. Methods. A cross-sectional national survey was conducted in 1996/97. Women were selected via a multistage stratified cluster sampling procedure with i ncreased sampling of Maori and Pacific women. Dietary iron intakes were est imated using a 24-hour diet recall. Biochemical iron status was assessed on a non-fasting venipuncture blood sample (n=1047) via haemoglobin, mean cel l volume, erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin, transferrin receptors and serum ferritin. Results. Average daily dietary iron intakes ranged from 9.6 mg/day among Pa cific women to 10.5 mg/day among Maori women; 41% of 20-49 year olds and 45 % of adolescents were at risk of low dietary iron intakes. The estimated pe rcentage of 15-49 year old women with iron deficiency anaemia ranged from 1 .4 - 5.5%, and for iron deficiency without anaemia from 0.7 - 12.6% dependi ng on the age group and criteria used. Conclusions. The overall estimated prevalence of suboptimal biochemical iro n status among 15-49 year old women in New Zealand ranged from 7-13%, which compared favourably with premenopausal women living in other western count ries. This situation is, however, a public health concern given the potenti al negative functional consequences associated with even mild iron deficien cy.