Circulating Proteins and Iron Status in Blood as Indicators of the Nutritional Status of 10- to 12-Year-Old Bolivian Boys

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the nutritional status of children based on anthropometric measurements, biochemical indicators of protein energy malnutrition as well as hematological variables. The subjects were 93 10- to 12-year-old Bolivian boys: 12 HAHSES, 28 HALSES, 36 LALSES, and 17 LALSES (see Introduction to this Supplement). The overall nutritional status of the boys was evaluated by anthropometric indicators (weight for age [W/A], height for age [H bd, and weight for height [W/H]). The biochemical indicators included proteins total, albumin, prealbumin, orosomucoid and protein C-reactive (for MPE) as well as hematocrit (Ht), hemoglobin (Hb), serum iron, serum ferritin, and transferrin saturation (TS). The prevalence of growth retardation of LSES boys at HA as well as at LA was found to be high when the 3rd percentile was used as the cutoff point. The corresponding prealbumin levels were found to be lower in LSES than in HSES boys at both altitudes. The study shows that LSES boys at both altitudes have significantly lower prealbumin levels than HSES boys. The socioeconomic factor seems to be more critical for the nutritional status of prepubertal boys than altitude. The study also shows that all the boys had hematological parameters within normal range. The HA boys of both SES had higher hemoglobin concentration and hematocrits than the LA boys, a fact that is explained by high-altitude hypoxia. The hematological data do not provide evidence of malnutrition among the boys.

Reference distributions for serum iron and transferrin saturation: A comparison of a large cohort to the world's literature

“…Four papers (14,36,40,52) examined values in Japanese populations, two of which presented sufficient data to show that there were no differences among the Caucasian groups (for TSAT (40) or for serum iron (52)). Five additional studies reported values from Caucasian but ethnically restricted national populations (23,41,43,53,56). In two studies (41,53) there were sufficient data to show that there were no differences between serum iron and TSAT in a Caucasian population.…”

“…Two studies did not provide information on the ages of the study subjects (38,56). The remaining 29 studies were considered acceptable.…”

“…A total of 45 publications were identified that contained information on serum iron in apparently healthy individuals (6,(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)39,(41)(42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(48)(49)(50)(51)(52)(53)(54)(55)(56). Five did not provide basic information or sufficient numerical data to permit statistical analysis (9,28,36,38,51).…”

“…A total of 32 publications were identified that contained information on TSAT levels in apparently healthy individuals (5,(7)(8)(9)(10)15,16,18,19,21,22,24,25,(29)(30)(31)33,38,(40)(41)(42)(45)(46)(47)(48)50,51,(54)(55)(56)(57)(58). Two studies did not provide information on the ages of the study subjects (38,56).…”

Effects of Altitude versus Economic Status on Birth Weight and Body Shape at Birth

“…Although sparse knowledge is available on the contribution of economic status to maternal nutritive state during pregnancy at either low or high altitude, independent studies have reported the unremarkable finding that individuals from low socioeconomic status are under-nourished and that those from high socioeconomic status are well-nourished in Andean countries (36,37).…”