TABLE 4.
Relative difference in Hb, SF, sTFR, and BI status from 4 legume food–based iron intervention studies conducted in low- and middle-income countries1
| Improved bean | Nonimproved bean | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study | No. of intervention days | Intake, mg Fe/d from bean meal | Diff. Hb, g/L | Diff. SF, mg/L | Diff. sTFR, μg/L | Diff. BI, mg/kg | Intake, mg Fe/d from bean meal | Diff. Hb, g/L | Diff. SF, mg/L | Diff. sTFR, μg/L | Diff. BI, mg/kg |
| Haas et al., 2016 (27) | 128 | 14.5 | 2.5*** | 54+ | −2.5 | −214.3* | 8.6 | −0.8 | 36 | 0 | −142.9 |
| Abizari et al., 2012 (23) | 210 | 17.25 | 10.1** | −32.6*** | −31.5*** | −4.7*** | 10.35 | 7.3 | −46.0 | −20.0 | −36.8 |
| Finkelstein et al., 2019 (30) | 180 | 19 | 0 | 9.1 | −1.2+ | 7.0+ | 11 | 2.0 | 21.7 | 2.6 | 8.3 |
| Schümann et al., 2005 (24) | 70 | 35 | 7.3 | −15.8 | n/a | n/a | 3.7 | 6.4 | −30.6 | n/a | n/a |
1
Difference (Diff.) in iron biomarker status is obtained by (endline reading minus baseline reading/baseline reading) × 100. n/a indicates that a particular biomarker was not assessed. Effect of legume food–based interventions on iron biomarker status (Hb, SF, sTFR, and BI): +P < 0.1; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001 shows significance of differences in baseline and endline measurements between the improved and nonimproved legume groups. BI, body iron; Hb, hemoglobin; SF, serum ferritin; sTFR, soluble transferrin receptor.