Iron intake and its association with iron-deficiency anemia in agricultural workers' families from the Zona da Mata of Pernambuco, Brazil

OBJECTIVE:To verify the association between dietary iron intake and the occurrence of iron-deficiency anemia in agricultural workers' families from the municipality of Gameleira in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil.METHODS:The study population consisted of 46 harvesters' families, consisting of 225 individuals. The food intake of each individual was recorded on three different days by directly weighing the foods consumed. Hemoglobin was determined by fingerstick (HemoCue). This research used the probability of adequacy method to assess iron intake and the paired ttest for comparing groups. The Spearman Mann-Whitney test estimated associations between the dietary variables and anemia.RESULTS:The prevalence of anemia was high in all ages groups and highest (67.6%) in children aged <5 years with a mean hemoglobin of 10.37 g/dL (±1.30 g/dL). Children aged <5 years had low percentage of iron intake adequacy (53.1%). Most of them consumed diets with low iron bioavailability (47.5%). Associations between the occurrence of anemia and dietary variables were significant for total iron (heme and nonheme), its bioavailabilities, and general meat intake.CONCLUSION:Inadequate dietary iron intake and inadequate intake of factors that facilitate iron absorption can be considered decisive for the occurrence of iron-deficiency anemia. Food insecurity occurs between family members, with some members being favored over others with regard to the intake of good dietary iron sources.

研究目的：验证巴西伯南布哥州加梅莱拉市农业收割工人家庭的膳食铁摄入与缺铁性贫血发病之间的关联。
研究方法：本研究纳入46个收割工人家庭，共计225名研究对象。通过连续三日直接称量摄入食物重量的方式，记录每名个体的膳食摄入量；采用指尖采血法借助HemoCue血红蛋白仪测定血红蛋白水平。本研究采用适宜摄入量概率法评估铁摄入情况，使用配对t检验开展组间比较，采用Spearman秩相关检验与曼-惠特尼U检验分析膳食变量与贫血之间的关联。
研究结果：各年龄组贫血患病率均处于较高水平，其中<5岁儿童贫血患病率最高，达67.6%，平均血红蛋白水平为10.37g/dL（标准差±1.30g/dL）。<5岁儿童的铁摄入适宜率仅为53.1%，且多数儿童的膳食铁生物利用率偏低（47.5%）。总铁摄入量（含血红素铁与非血红素铁）、铁生物利用率以及畜禽肉类总摄入量与贫血发生存在显著关联。
研究结论：膳食铁摄入不足以及铁吸收促进因子摄入不足，可被认定为缺铁性贫血发生的决定性影响因素。该研究涉及的家庭存在家庭内部食物不安全现象，部分家庭成员相较于其他成员，能够获得更多优质膳食铁来源食物。