IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i3p2578-d1053126.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Iron Deficiency among School-Aged Adolescents in Hong Kong: Prevalence, Predictors, and Effects on Health-Related Quality of Life

Author

Listed:
  • Yin Ting Cheung

    (School of Pharmacy, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Dorothy Fung Ying Chan

    (Department of Paediatrics, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Cheuk Kwong Lee

    (Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Wai Chiu Tsoi

    (Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Ching Wa Lau

    (Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Jennifer Ngar Sze Leung

    (Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Jason Chi Chiu So

    (Department of Pathology, Hong Kong Children’s Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Chris Lei Po Wong

    (Hong Kong Molecular Pathology Diagnostic Centre, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Stella Tsui Ying Tsang

    (Hong Kong Molecular Pathology Diagnostic Centre, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Yvonne Yuen Ling Chu

    (Department of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Chi Kong Li

    (Department of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
    Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Hong Kong Children’s Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
    Hong Kong Hub of Paediatric Excellence, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China)

Abstract

Iron deficiency (ID) is a prevalent nutritional deficiency affecting children/adolescents worldwide. We reported (1) the prevalence of ID and ID with anemia (IDA) among Chinese school-aged adolescents, (2) clinical and dietary predictors of iron status, and (3) its impact on health-related qualities of life (HRQoL). This cross-sectional study recruited 183 boys and 340 girls (mean age = 17.55) from 16 schools in Hong Kong. ID is defined as serum ferritin <15 μg/L. The participants reported their dietary habits, menstrual patterns (girls), and HRQoL using structured questionnaires. The overall prevalence of ID was 11.1%. None of the boys had ID or IDA. Among girls, the rate of ID was 17.1% and IDA was 10.9%. One-third (36.3%) reported a regular habit of skipping ≥1 meal/day. Lower ferritin was found in adolescents who skipped meals (Est = −35.1, p = 0.017). Lower ferritin is correlated with poorer school functioning (Est = 0.81, p = 0.045) and fatigue (Est = 0.92, p = 0.016). Skipping meals is associated with poorer physical ( p = 0.0017) and school functioning ( p = 0.027). To conclude, 1 in 10 school-aged adolescents in Hong Kong are iron-deficient. The ID rate in girls (17.1%) is similar to that in other industrialized countries (5.2–16.6%). Future work should promote awareness on the potential health consequences of poor dietary habits on ID and the well-being of adolescents.

Suggested Citation

  • Yin Ting Cheung & Dorothy Fung Ying Chan & Cheuk Kwong Lee & Wai Chiu Tsoi & Ching Wa Lau & Jennifer Ngar Sze Leung & Jason Chi Chiu So & Chris Lei Po Wong & Stella Tsui Ying Tsang & Yvonne Yuen Ling , 2023. "Iron Deficiency among School-Aged Adolescents in Hong Kong: Prevalence, Predictors, and Effects on Health-Related Quality of Life," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-14, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:3:p:2578-:d:1053126
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/3/2578/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/3/2578/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Esther Pui Yung Chyu & Ji-Kang Chen, 2022. "The Correlates of Academic Stress in Hong Kong," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-19, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.

      Corrections

      All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:3:p:2578-:d:1053126. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

      If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

      If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

      If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

      For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

      Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

      IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.