Premium
The relationships of food insecurity to iron, folate and vitamin B12 status in the elderly
Author(s) -
Hinds Hesma E,
Johnson Allan A
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.6.a1049-a
Subject(s) - vitamin b12 , national health and nutrition examination survey , food security , environmental health , vitamin , medicine , logistic regression , body mass index , iron status , socioeconomic status , vitamin c , gerontology , iron deficiency , biology , population , endocrinology , anemia , agriculture , ecology
Dietary intakes and biochemical values of iron, folate, and vitamin B12 status, socio‐demographic data, gender and body mass index were analyzed in subjects aged 60 years or more using data from the 2001–2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Data analysis was conducted using SUDAAN software. Of the 1770 subjects, 1,540 (87%) were food secure. Limited education, low income (<$14,999),being single, and Black or Mexican American ethnicity were significantly related to food insecurity. Food insecure subjects and females had significantly lower intakes of iron, folate, and vitamin B12. Food insecure subjects had significantly lower serum iron, red blood cell and folate levels. Females had significantly lower biochemical measures of iron, folate, and vitamin B12 status than males. Higher income levels were generally associated with greater biochemical measures of iron, folate, and vitamin B12. status. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated significant relationships between food security and food folate (OR = 1.02, 1.00, 1.04), serum iron (OR = 0.97, 0.93, 1.00), and RBC folate (OR = 0.99, 0.98, 1.00). Further studies are necessary to address the relationships of food security to nutritional, emotional, social, and psychological problems in the elderly