TABLE 3.
Factors Associated With Low Ferritin Level (N=303)
| Variable | Ferritin | Unadjusted OR (95% CI) | Adjusted ORa 95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal n (%) | Low n (%) | |||
| Sex | ||||
| Male | 79 (51.6) | 74 (48.4) | 1.9 (1.2–3.0) | 2.0 (1.2–3.4) |
| Female | 100 (66.7) | 50 (33.3) | Ref | Ref |
| Age, months | ||||
| 2-12 (Infants) | 95 (57.2) | 71 (42.8) | 1.2 (0.7–2.3) | 2.7 (1.2–6.1) |
| 13-23 (Toddlers) | 47 (60.3) | 31 (39.7) | 1.1 (0.6–2.2) | 5.0 (2.2–11.2) |
| 24-59 (Pre-school) | 37 (62.7) | 22 (37.3) | Ref | Ref |
| Use of cow's milk | ||||
| No | 60 (81.1) | 14 (18.9) | Ref | Ref |
| Yes | 119 (52.0) | 110(48.0) | 4.0 (2.1–7.5) | - |
| Amount of cow's milk | ||||
| ≥500 | 69 (45.1) | 84 (54.9) | 5.2 (2.7–10.1) | 5.6 (2.6–12.1) |
| <500 | 50 (65.8) | 26 (34.2) | 2.2 (1.1–4.7) | 2.2 (1.0–5.0) |
| No cow's milk | 60 (81.1) | 14 (18.9) | Ref | Ref |
| Inclusion of red meat | ||||
| ≥3 | 38 (65.5) | 20 (34.5) | 0.9 (0.5–1.7) | 0.6 (0.3–1.3) |
| <3 | 36 (46.2) | 42 (53.8) | 2.0 (1.2–3.4) | 1.6 (0.7–3.1) |
| No red meat | 105 (62.9) | 62 (37.1) | Ref | Ref |
a
Adjusted for time of weaning, age started cow's milk, birth weight, time of breast feeding and past 2 months medical history
Abbreviations: OR, odds ratio; Ref, reference category