Baseline clinical and biochemical characteristic of study subjects based on serum ferritin quartile categories.

BMI, body mass index; WC, waist circumference; BP, blood pressure; FPG, fasting plasma glucose; HbA1c, hemoglobin A1c; HOMA-IR, homeostasis model of insulin resistance; TG, triglycerides; LDL-C, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol; HDL-C, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; AST, alanine aminotransferase; GGT, gamma-glutamyltransferase; hsCRP, high sensitive C-reactive protein. aRepresented in the following order; ≤3 times/week, ≥4 times/week. bRepresented in the following order; ≤2 times/week, ≥3 times/week.