Iron status in free-living, low income very elderly

In order to determine the effect of age, sex, dietary and supplemental iron intakes and chronic disease factors and iron status and serum ferritin concentrations, 69 free-living very elderly (≥ 75 yrs) were recruited. Subjects completed demographic and health history questionnaires, 3-day diet records and provided a fasting blood sample for determination of iron status parameters. Subjects were predominately white (mean age 80 yrs) and low income (52% < $10,000; 23% $10,000-$15,000, annually). Women had significantly lower hemoglobin, serum iron and percent transferrin saturation as compared with the men. Only one subject had a total iron intake <2/3 the RDA, but 22% supplemented with iron. Iron deficiency anemia was prevalent in only 3% of the population; iron status in general, however, was lower than that reported in other free-living elderly. Neither serum ferritin, total iron intake, age, nor income were good predictors of iron status in this population. Serum ferritin was >200 ng/mL in 38 of the subjects, but half of these high values could be explained by pre-existing disease factors.