Iron, folate, and B(12) deficiencies and their associations with anemia among women of childbearing age in a rural area in Northern China.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prevalence of folate, vitamin B(12), and iron deficiencies and their associations with anemia among women of childbearing age in northern China, an area with a reported high incidence of neural tube defects.

METHODS

Plasma folate, vitamin B(12), ferritin, and hemoglobin levels were measured among 1,671 non-pregnant women of childbearing age from Xianghe County, Hebei Province, China in June 2004.

RESULTS

Geometric means [95 % confidence interval (CI)] of plasma concentrations were 9.3 (4.0, 21.6) nmol/L for folate, 213.1 (82.4, 550.9) pmol/L for vitamin B(12), 17.4 (1.1, 278.6) microg/L for ferritin, and 129.9 (104.6, 161.4) g/L for hemoglobin (Hb). Approximately 24 % of women had biochemical evidence of folate deficiency (<6.8 nmol/L), 21.4 % were deficient (<148 pmol/L) in vitamin B(12), 30.2 % had iron depletion (<15 microg/L), and anemia (Hb < 120 g/L) was detected among 15.4 % of women. Of the three nutrients, only iron depletion (ferritin < 15 microg/L) was independently associated with anemia (adjusted odds ratio = 6.4, 95 % CI 4.8, 8.6).

CONCLUSIONS

Although there were substantial proportions of folate and vitamin B(12) deficiencies among women of childbearing age in northern China, iron deficiency was the most important contributor to anemia.