In young people, excess body fat is associated with an increased risk of iron deficiency, but not zinc or vitamin A deficiency.
- Children and adolescents who are overweight or obese are at significantly higher risk of iron deficiency.
- On the other hand, they do not present a deficiency in zinc and vitamin A.
- According to the authors, this iron deficiency is probably due to inflammation disrupting the mechanisms that regulate iron absorption.
Typically linked to undernutrition, growing evidence suggests that micronutrient deficiencies can coexist with overnutrition. In new research, scientists from the University of Leeds (England) wanted to examine the associations between iron, zinc and vitamin A status and weight status (both underweight and overweight) in children and adults. adolescents.
Iron deficiency: more risk in obese or overweight young people due to inflammation
To carry out their work, they reviewed 83 observational studies carried out in 44 countries and involving 190,443 people under the age of 25. In the cohorts, the team found their blood, serum or plasma levels of iron, zinc or vitamin A biomarkers which had been recorded at the same time as their weight.
According to the results, published in the journal BMJ Global Health, obesity and overweight increased the risk of iron deficiency. The risks appeared to be higher for obese youth compared to those who were overweight. In contrast, the authors noted that zinc and vitamin A deficiencies were only observed in undernourished participants. This observation led them to conclude that iron deficiency in overweight young people is probably due to inflammation disrupting the mechanisms that regulate iron absorption.
“Prolonged inflammation leads to heart disease, diabetes and fatty liver disease”
In their work, the researchers point out that iron deficiency in children has a negative effect on brain functions, notably attention, concentration and memory, and can increase the risk of pathologies, such as autism and ADHD. “This iron deficiency may be the canary in the coal mine, but the real problem is that prolonged inflammation leads to heart disease, diabetes and fatty liver disease,” reported Bernadette Mooreauthor of the study.
According to the team, increased physical activity and a better diet have been shown to reduce inflammation and improve iron status in young people. From now on, she hopes that more in-depth research will be carried out to determine the effectiveness of these interventions. “Our research is extremely important given the high prevalence of childhood obesity. We hope it will lead to increased recognition of the problem by practitioners and improvements in practice and clinical care.”
