A new study claims that postmenopausal women are at greater risk of suffering from anemia, if they do not maintain a healthy diet rich in certain vitamins and nutrients.
They added, women can lessen their chances of suffering from anemia by taking enough of vitamin B12, iron, protein, folate, nutrients from red meat and vitamin C in their diet.
Women who are deficient in at least three of aforementioned vitamins are more likely to suffer from anemia as compared to those who either are deficient in one or none at all, added researchers.
While commenting on the study findings, lead researcher associate professor of nutritional sciences from the University of Arizona in Tucson, Cynthia A. Thomson, in her press release, “Anemia, particularly iron deficiency, has been associated with reduced capacity for physical work and physical inactivity, injury related to falls and hospitalizations, making this an important health-care concern in the aging."
Anemia is a condition in which production of healthy red blood cells (responsible for providing oxygen to body tissues) decreases significantly. It can result into chronic fatigue, dizziness, headaches etc.
About research
To arrive at this conclusion, the researchers thoroughly analyzed nutritional data collected after interviewing nearly 80,000 postmenopausal women.
Nearly 5.5 percent women in the study were found to be anemic. Researchers found that women who were deficient in three nutrients simultaneously were 44 percent more at risk of suffering from anemia.
Being deficient in only one nutrient raised women's chances of suffering from anemia by 21 percent.
Researchers were startled to find that deficiency of three different nutrients were higher among Asians/Pacific Islander (14.6 percent), Afro-American (15.3 percent) and Hispanics (16.3 percent) women as compared to 7.4 percent white women.
Apparently this could be due to the fact that white women took more nutrients from their red meat/nutrient-fortified cereal as compared to women from other ethnic groups.
Taking mineral supplements and multi-vitamins does nothing to decrease the risk, added researchers.
Women need to be aware of their diets
As per medical experts, severe anemia, if goes unchecked, can also result into death, hence, women should pay special attention towards their diet.
"Efforts to identify anemia that may be responsive to modifiable factors, such as diet to improve health outcomes, are needed. Additional efforts to regularly evaluate postmenopausal women for anemia should be considered,” concluded study authors.
The study findings are scheduled to be published in the upcoming April 2011 issue of the ‘Journal of the American Dietetic Association.’
source: themedguru
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