RESUMO
Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a common public health occurrence of pregnancy which is particularly prevalent in developing countries like Pakistan. During this critical period, the deficiency of iron is very common as the iron requirements are greatly enhanced. IDA during pregnancy is associated with intrauterine growth retardation, premature birth, low birthweight, increased labor time, higher risk of infection, elevated maternal and prenatal mortality, muscle dysfunction, and low physical capacity. The present study was aimed to check the prevalence, effect of diet on IDA and its association with the pregnancy outcome, that is, birthweight. Five different public sector hospitals of Rawalpindi and Islamabad were analyzed. A sample size of 500 pregnant females of third trimester was observed which were then followed after delivery from September 2020 to January 2021. A well-designed questionnaire was developed where different demographic factors, dietary recalls, biomarkers, and other determinants were obtained. The data from the questionnaires were later coded for the purpose of analysis in the statistical package (SPSS) using chi-square test. Our study indicated that IDA is a moderate public health problem among pregnant women in twin cities and more than half of study subjects have depleted iron stores. Approximately 63% of the subjects were having iron deficiency and 24.8% were facing severe iron deficiency anemia. Only 12% of the subjects were considered as normal. The high prevalence of anemia in our subjects was probably due to low iron intake and poor dietary habits. The results of the study may not be generalizable due to time constraints and other factors. Maternal anemia still remains a major public health concern that requires more attention especially in developing and underdeveloping countries.
RESUMO
Higher dietary intake of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and vitamin D has been associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and a higher intracellular ratio of Ca to Mg leads to insulin resistance. Previous epidemiological studies did not examine the combined effects of dietary Ca, Mg, and vitamin D as well as ratio of Ca to Mg with T2DM. Therefore, we assessed the relationship between dietary intakes of Mg, Ca, and vitamin D (using 24-hr recalls) individually and in composite and T2DM in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2014, which involved 20,480 adults (9,977 men and 10,503 women) with comprehensive information on related nutrients, and anthropometric, demographic, and biomarker variables using multivariable logistic regression. The results indicated that dietary calcium at Q3 (812 mg/day) was significantly linked with T2DM in women (OR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.65). Dietary vitamin D at Q3 (5.25 µg/day) significantly reduced the odds of T2DM by 21% in men (OR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.64, 0.98). This is an interesting study that has important implications for dietary recommendations. It is concluded that US adults having dietary Ca below the RDA were associated with increased risk of T2DM in all population and women, while higher ratio of Ca to Mg was associated with increased risk of T2DM in all population and increased vitamin D intake is related to decreased risk of T2DM in men. Moreover, further research is needed to make more definitive nutritional recommendations.