Table 4.
The comparison of the baseline characteristics of the subsamples (red blood cells level, dietary intake, and menstrual blood loss) in subsamples stratified by the effectiveness of dietary intervention assessed for red blood cells level after 4 and 8 weeks.
| Subsamples stratified by effectiveness assessed after 4 weeks | Variables | Effective Dietary Intervention (n = 21) | Ineffective Dietary Intervention (n = 8) | p | ||
| Mean ± SD | Median (Min–Max) | Mean ± SD | Median (Min–Max) | |||
| Baseline RBC | 4.48 ± 0.36 | 4.40 (4.00–5.20) | 4.58 ± 0.21 | 4.55 (4.30–4.90) | 0.4917 | |
| Iron (mg) | 11.74 ± 4.61 | 10.82 (3.89–19.57) | 10.19 ± 5.14 | 10.11 (3.89–20.48) | 0.6435 | |
| Animal iron (mg) | 2.17 ± 1.49 | 1.80 (0.16–5.25) | 2.32 ± 1.46 | 1.98 (0.00–5.25) | 0.2769 | |
| Plant iron (mg) | 9.57 ± 4.69 | 9.74 (2.47–19.41) | 8.21 ± 5.38 | 7.39 * (2.47–20.48) | 0.3414 | |
| Heme iron (mg) | 0.87 ± 0.60 | 0.72 (0.06–2.10) | 0.93 ± 0.58 | 0.79 (0.00–2.10) | 0.2769 | |
| Non-heme iron (mg) | 10.88 ± 4.59 | 10.39 (3.32–19.51) | 9.39 ± 5.20 | 9.02 (3.32–20.48) | 0.5523 | |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 103.03 ± 60.12 | 83.93 * (32.86–240.71) | 107.85 ± 75.77 | 74.46 * (32.86–240.71) | 0.7884 | |
| Folate (µg) | 239.45 ± 130.90 | 214.99 * (100.28–635.73) | 262.76 ± 149.90 | 214.99 * (100.28–635.73) | 0.5419 | |
| Menstrual blood loss (mL) | 54.0 ± 29.7 | 44.0 (16.0–112.0) | 58.1 ± 25.7 | 50.3 (34.0–109.0) | 0.7363 | |
| Subsamples stratified by effectiveness assessed after 8 weeks | Variables | Effective dietary intervention (n = 19) | Ineffective dietary intervention (n = 10) | p | ||
| Mean ± SD | Median (min–max) | Mean ± SD | Median (min–max) | |||
| Baseline RBC | 4.59 ± 0.33 | 4.60 (4.10–5.20) | 4.35 ± 0.25 | 4.35 (4.00–4.80) | 0.0551 | |
| Iron (mg) | 10.87 ± 4.61 | 9.93 (3.89–19.57) | 12.66 ± 4.96 | 13.74 (5.81–20.48) | 0.3412 | |
| Animal iron (mg) | 2.10 ± 1.56 | 1.43 (0.16–5.25) | 2.87 ± 1.28 | 3.07 (0.00–4.36) | 0.1914 | |
| Plant iron (mg) | 8.77 ± 4.92 | 8.13 (2.47–19.41) | 9.79 ± 5.26 | 10.50 (3.30–20.48) | 0.6084 | |
| Heme iron (mg) | 0.84 ± 0.62 | 0.57 (0.06–2.10) | 1.15 ± 0.51 | 1.23 (0.00–1.75) | 0.1914 | |
| Non-heme iron (mg) | 10.03 ± 4.67 | 9.21 (3.32–19.51) | 11.51 ± 5.04 | 12.44 (4.80–20.48) | 0.4362 | |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 86.02 ± 55.62 | 66.07 * (32.86–240.71) | 142.18 ± 66.69 | 133.75 (57.43–240.36) | 0.0231 | |
| Folate (µg) | 230.94 ± 133.41 | 200.79 * (100.28–635.73) | 283.04 ± 113.30 | 269.22 (139.34–503.94) | 0.1484 | |
| Menstrual blood loss (mL) | 54.2 ± 29.0 | 44.0 (16.0–112.0) | 56.8 ± 28.4 | 50.5 (18.0–112.0) | 0.8213 | |
* nonparametric distribution (verified using Shapiro–Wilk test; p ≤ 0.05). RBC—red blood cells level (mln/µL).