| Summary: | Motivation: A variety of factors including food shortage, poor hygiene and low
education levels affects the nutritional status of black women. Women also have a
high risk for the development of iron deficiency because they lose iron through
menstruation, the birth process and a low intake of iron containing foods. All of these
factors contribute to an increased risk for the development of iron deficiency anaemia
in women.
Objectives: The primary purpose of the study was to investigate the association
between tea consumption and iron status of African females in the North West
Province. To reach this purpose the specific aims were to (1) assess the iron status
of women, (2) determine tea intake, and (3) determine the relationship between tea
consumption and iron status, taking into account inhibiting and enhancing factors of
iron absorption.
Methods: A cross-sectional sample of apparently healthy females was taken from
five different strata of urbanisation. The subjects were then further divided into two
groups, namely younger women (younger than 45.9 years) and older women (older
than 46 years). A sample of 920 subjects was used. Data were obtained from
dietary, demographic and additional questionnaires, as well as from the taking of
blood samples. This study was a sub-study of the THUSA study.
Results: A total of 920 subjects participated of which 69.24% were younger women
and 30.76% were older women. Due to missing data, the number of subjects for
each parameter differed. The mean serum ferritin as well as haemoglobin
concentrations were within normal ranges for both groups. The mean dietary iron
intake for both groups was below recommendations. No significant correlations were
found between serum ferritin or haemoglobin and total tea intake as well as a variety
of other dietary factors. The low haemoglobin concentration group of the younger
and older women combined had a slightly higher intake of animal protein and
ascorbic acid than the high haemoglobin concentration group. On the other hand,
the high serum ferritin concentration group had a significantly higher intake of animal
protein than the low serum ferritin concentration group.
Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that tea does not have an inhibitory
effect on the iron status of the female population of the North West Province.
However, the investigation of other studies conducted on the same topic had mixed
results. Two of seven studies investigated and this study indicated that tea had no
inhibitory effect on iron absorption. These two studies, as well as this study were not
done in a controlled environment where certain factors can be controlled for, for
example, time of tea intake and milk consumption with tea. The other five studies
were, however, conducted in an environment where subjects were given test meals,
time of tea consumption was regulated and milk consumption with tea was recorded.
The conclusion can, therefore, be made that further studies on the South African
population in a controlled environment are necessary to give accurate
recommendations to the population. === Thesis (M.Sc. (Dietetics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.
|
|---|
