Dietary intake and other determinants of iron and folate status in female adolescents.

The relationships of diet, development, and maturation indices to the status of blood iron and folate indicators were studied among 233 adolescent girls aged 10-16 years. Statistically significant associations between total iron intake and hemoglobin, plasma iron, serum ferritin and transferrin saturation were observed after controlling the confounding effect of other parameters. Iron intake provided by meat was positively related to hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels. Moreover, post-menarcheal girls and girls in their growth spurt peak had a lower serum ferritin level than the others. Plasma and erythrocyte folate levels increased with increasing folate intake from vegetables and fruits. Plasma folate level decreased with decreasing folate from meat. Plasma and erythrocyte folate levels decreased with chronologic age independantly of dietary intake. Among this nutritionally vulnerable group, our results specify the effect of factors known to influence iron and folate status.