Prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency and its association with body mass index in elite Japanese high school long-distance runners

Shogo Tabata; Yuka Tsukahara; Hiroshi Kamada; Tomohiro Manabe; Fumihiro Yamasawa

doi:10.1080/00913847.2023.2267561

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Prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency and its association with body mass index in elite Japanese high school long-distance runners

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency and its association with body mass index in elite Japanese high school long-distance runners

Shogo Tabata, Yuka Tsukahara, Hiroshi Kamada, Tomohiro Manabe and Fumihiro Yamasawa

The Physician and sportsmedicine, Vol.52(4), pp.360-368

08/2024

DOI: 10.1080/00913847.2023.2267561

PMID: 37795704

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Abstract

Anemia is a common condition in long-distance runners (LDRs). Recently, not only iron deficiency (ID) but also energy deficiency has been considered as a risk factor for anemia in athletes but no evidence has yet been established. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of anemia and ID and the influence of body mass index (BMI) on anemia in high-school LDRs. The participants were 406 male and 235 female elite Japanese LDRs who competed in the All-Japan High-School Ekiden Championship 2019. They submitted their anthropometric data and results of a blood test within five days after the competition. The prevalence of anemia and ID and the influence of BMI on anemia were assessed retrospectively. Mean hemoglobin concentrations (Hb) were 14.8 ± 0.9 g/dl in males and 13.2 ± 0.9 g/dl in females. The prevalence of anemia (Hb < 14 g/dl in males and < 12 g/dl in females) was significantly higher in males (16.3%) than females (6.4%), but males also showed higher prevalence of non-iron deficiency anemia (NIDA) than females (11.6% and 3.0%, respectively). No significant gender difference was found in the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) (4.7% in males and 3.4% in females). ID (serum ferritin level < 25 ng/ml) was significantly more prevalent in females (37.4%) than males (18.5%). A binary logistic regression analysis revealed that low BMI was a contributor to anemia in females (odds ratios: 0.577 (95% CI: 0.369-0.901), = 0.012). In Japanese high-school LDRs, one in six males was anemic, but most males did not have ID. Conversely, one-third of females were diagnosed with ID. Lower BMI was identified as a risk for anemia in females, suggesting that leanness may also lead to anemia in females.

Adolescent

Anemia - epidemiology

Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - epidemiology

Athletes - statistics & numerical data

Body Mass Index

East Asian People

Female

Hemoglobins - analysis

Hemoglobins - metabolism

Humans

Iron Deficiencies

Japan - epidemiology

Male

Prevalence

Retrospective Studies

Risk Factors

Running - physiology

Sex Factors

Details

Title: Subtitle: Prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency and its association with body mass index in elite Japanese high school long-distance runners
Creators: Shogo Tabata - Japan Medical Association
Yuka Tsukahara - Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education
Hiroshi Kamada - Japan Medical Association
Tomohiro Manabe - Keio University
Fumihiro Yamasawa - Japan Medical Association
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: The Physician and sportsmedicine, Vol.52(4), pp.360-368
DOI: 10.1080/00913847.2023.2267561
PMID: 37795704
ISSN: 0091-3847
eISSN: 2326-3660
Language: English
Date published: 08/2024
Academic Unit: Family and Community Medicine
Record Identifier: 9984737965602771

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