Lisa A Houghton1, Winsome R Parnell2, Christine D Thomson2, Timothy J Green3, Rosalind S Gibson2. 1. Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; and lisa.houghton@otago.ac.nz. 2. Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; and. 3. South Australian Health and Medical Institute, Adelaide, Australia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Zinc, selenium, and vitamin D status of New Zealand (NZ) school-aged children was examined in a national survey in 2002. To our knowledge, however, the role of these micronutrients as predictors of hemoglobin has not been explored despite plausible mechanisms for such relations. OBJECTIVE: We examined the relations of iron, zinc, selenium, and vitamin D status with hemoglobin and anemia in children of New Zealand European and other (NZEO) ethnicity enrolled in the 2002 Children's Nutrition Survey and explored whether zinc mediated the relation between selenium and hemoglobin. METHODS: Multivariate regression was performed to examine the relations of serum micronutrient biomarkers, acute inflammation, socioeconomic status, and body mass index (BMI) with hemoglobin and anemia of NZEO children aged 5-15 y (n = 503). A mediation analysis also investigated direct and indirect (through zinc) relations between selenium and hemoglobin. RESULTS: In total, 4.6% of the children were anemic, 3.2% had depleted iron stores, and none had iron deficiency anemia. The prevalence of low serum zinc (<8.7-10.1 μmol/L depending on age and sex), selenium (<0.82 μmol/L), and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (<50 nmol/L) was 14.1%, 22.9%, and 48.5%, respectively. Major predictors of hemoglobin were serum zinc, age, and BMI-for-age z score (P < 0.001); log ferritin and being female were also statistically significant (P < 0.05). Selenium had an indirect effect that was mediated by zinc, with a significant effect of selenium on zinc (P = 0.002) and zinc on hemoglobin (P < 0.001). Zinc was the only variable associated with anemia risk (OR: 5.49; 95% CI: 1.95, 15.46). CONCLUSIONS: Low serum zinc was an independent risk factor for anemia in NZEO school-aged children and mediated the effect of low selenium on hemoglobin. These findings emphasize the importance of considering multiple micronutrient deficiencies in addition to iron when interpreting anemia and of appreciating the mechanistic interactions that underlie these associations.
BACKGROUND: Zinc, selenium, and vitamin D status of New Zealand (NZ) school-aged children was examined in a national survey in 2002. To our knowledge, however, the role of these micronutrients as predictors of hemoglobin has not been explored despite plausible mechanisms for such relations. OBJECTIVE: We examined the relations of iron, zinc, selenium, and vitamin D status with hemoglobin and anemia in children of New Zealand European and other (NZEO) ethnicity enrolled in the 2002 Children's Nutrition Survey and explored whether zinc mediated the relation between selenium and hemoglobin. METHODS: Multivariate regression was performed to examine the relations of serum micronutrient biomarkers, acute inflammation, socioeconomic status, and body mass index (BMI) with hemoglobin and anemia of NZEO children aged 5-15 y (n = 503). A mediation analysis also investigated direct and indirect (through zinc) relations between selenium and hemoglobin. RESULTS: In total, 4.6% of the children were anemic, 3.2% had depleted iron stores, and none had iron deficiency anemia. The prevalence of low serum zinc (<8.7-10.1 μmol/L depending on age and sex), selenium (<0.82 μmol/L), and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (<50 nmol/L) was 14.1%, 22.9%, and 48.5%, respectively. Major predictors of hemoglobin were serum zinc, age, and BMI-for-age z score (P < 0.001); log ferritin and being female were also statistically significant (P < 0.05). Selenium had an indirect effect that was mediated by zinc, with a significant effect of selenium on zinc (P = 0.002) and zinc on hemoglobin (P < 0.001). Zinc was the only variable associated with anemia risk (OR: 5.49; 95% CI: 1.95, 15.46). CONCLUSIONS: Low serum zinc was an independent risk factor for anemia in NZEO school-aged children and mediated the effect of low selenium on hemoglobin. These findings emphasize the importance of considering multiple micronutrient deficiencies in addition to iron when interpreting anemia and of appreciating the mechanistic interactions that underlie these associations.
Authors: Brock A Williams; Kelsey M Cochrane; Jordie A J Fischer; Abeer M Aljaadi; Liadhan McAnena; Mary Ward; Helene McNulty; Hou Kroeun; Tim J Green; Kyly C Whitfield; Crystal D Karakochuk Journal: J Nutr Date: 2020-07-01 Impact factor: 4.798
Authors: Lisa A Houghton; Rachel C Brown; Sarah Beaumont; Shona Jennings; Karl B Bailey; Jillian J Haszard; Juergen Erhardt; Lisa Daniels; Rosalind S Gibson Journal: Matern Child Nutr Date: 2019-04-11 Impact factor: 3.092
Authors: Samantha Schildroth; Katarzyna Kordas; Julia Anglen Bauer; Robert O Wright; Birgit Claus Henn Journal: Curr Environ Health Rep Date: 2022-08-23
Authors: Aly Diana; Dwi M Purnamasari; Sofa Rahmannia; Dimas E Luftimas; Jillian J Haszard; Rosalind S Gibson; Lisa A Houghton Journal: Curr Dev Nutr Date: 2019-04-05