     Mulkia | Saturday, August 05, 2000 - 04:56 am
LONDON (Reuters Health) - A British study has found that one in four schoolgirls studied are damaging their IQs by dieting and depriving themselves of iron.
``We were surprised that a very small drop in iron levels caused a fall in IQ,'' explained Dr. Michael Nelson, study author and senior lecturer in nutrition at King's College, London, UK.
``We conclude that poor iron status is common among British adolescent girls and diet and iron status play an important role in determining IQ, independent of factors such as menstrual status or social class,'' the study authors write.
The researchers surveyed 595 girls, aged 11 to 18, attending three comprehensive schools in North London, making up a cross-section of racial groups.
The girls provided blood samples that were assessed for haemoglobin and packed cell volume.
The investigators found that there was a highly significant difference in IQ between iron-deficient anaemic girls, with the lowest levels of iron in their blood, iron-deficient and iron-replete girls.
Although the study solely examined adolescent girls, ``there is also some evidence that people over 65 suffer from lack of iron and cognitive function but this is also linked to deficiencies of folic acid, zinc and vitamin B12,'' Nelson told Reuters Health.
Nelson was prompted to conduct the study following his studies on diet and cognitive function in people in Indonesia.
The current study abstract was prepared for The Nutrition Society's summer meeting and will be published in the Spring issue of ``The Nutrition Society 2001.'' It was funded by the UK Department of Health. |
