Teenage Girls Fail Iron Test - New Resource Tells Girls to Pump 30% More Iron Than Boys
In May 2002, Market Facts of Canada invited teenage girls from across Canada (aged 14 to 18 years) to participate in an Internet survey on iron. Only 37 per cent of the 621 participants scored a passing grade (50 per cent right answers) and only 14 per cent correctly answered 10 out of 15 key iron knowledge questions.
While many of the girls associated iron deficiency with anemia, fewer knew that compromised iron status could have an effect on brain functioning and energy for physical activity. According to registered dietitian Laura Pasut, the author of a series of new booklets on iron nutrition for consumers, early symptoms of iron deficiency, such as tiredness, headache, irritability, difficulty breathing and reduced “work capacity” may be overlooked. Yet even before a person becomes anemic, iron deficiency can interfere with brain functioning.
In a background paper on iron nutrition for health professionals, Pasut who is president of Nutridata Consulting Services, discusses a study in which math scores were lower for children and adolescents with iron deficiency, compared to those without. In another study, replacing depleted iron stores resulted in adolescent girls achieving better results in memory and verbal learning tests.
Dr. Susan Barr, director of the graduate program in Human Nutrition at the University of British Columbia, stated, “Just knowing the quantity of iron contained in a food doesn’t give you the full picture. The amount of iron actually absorbed depends upon a number of factors, including the type of food, other foods being eaten at the same time, and whether the individual currently has good iron stores or has a high requirement to meet growth needs.”
Barr goes on to point out that meat, fish, poultry and seafood (oysters and shrimp) contain heme iron – a form of iron that is most easily absorbed. As well, meats contain an additional compound that further enhances iron absorption. Plant foods, on the other hand, contain no heme iron and may contain compounds, such as tannins in tea and coffee, and phytates in grains, that lower iron absorption.
In the survey of teenage girls, 42 per cent were able to identify red meat as the best source of iron, but their second choice – spinach – is actually a poor source. They would have to eat two cups (500 mL) of boiled spinach to obtain the same amount of absorbable iron as in one 90 gram serving of red meat.
Despite believing the “Popeye myth,” only 15 per cent of the girls said they eat spinach at least once a week. Fortunately, red meat in its various forms – hamburgers, tacos, meat loaf and steaks – is more popular with teens. Six out of ten of the girls said they enjoy red meat at least twice a week.
Another myth debunked by the survey is that more girls are embracing vegetarianism. In actual fact, less than two per cent avoid eating meat, fish and poultry.
“From a iron nutrition point of view, that could be a good thing,” says Pasut. “Vegetarians must take in almost twice as much iron as meat-eaters to compensate for the lack of heme iron in their diets.”
Although the survey focused on teen girls, adult women as well as infants and toddlers are also at risk for iron deficiency. A nine-month old infant needs more iron than an adult man and premenopausal women have the highest requirements of all.
After hearing from doctors and dietitians that they are concerned their their patients’ eating patterns may be deficient in iron, the BIC developed a series of new consumer education pamphlets. The three iron pamphlets -- one for infants and toddlers, one for adolescent girls, and one for women – have been written and reviewed by health professionals who are experts in the field.
Iron and Adult Women
Iron and Infants