Objective: To evaluate the association between body iron stores, dietary iron intake, and risk of diabetes in northern China.
Research design and methods: The data of a cross-sectional household survey in 2002 in Liaoning Province in northern China was used. The final sample in our study contained 2,997 subjects aged >or=18 years. Fasting plasma glucose and serum ferritin were measured. Dietary information was collected by 3-day food records.
Results: Serum ferritin was associated with elevated risk of diabetes even adjusted for age, sex, nondietary factors, and dietary factors. No association among total iron intake, nonheme iron intake, and diabetes risk was found. However, higher heme iron intake was significantly associated with elevated risk of diabetes after adjusting for known factors.
Conclusions: In Chinese, associations among higher serum ferritin level, higher heme iron intake, and elevated risk of diabetes were found.