Is Body Mass Index a potential biomarker for anemia in obese adolescents?

Abstract

The two paradoxical major health problems namely obesity and anemia are confirmed to affect millions around the world. Hepcidin, a protein synthesized in liver is a negative iron binding regulator. There is an affirmative relation between hepcidin and leptin levels and an inverse co-relation between hepcidin and iron status due to inflammation mediated by obesity in adolescents. So this implicates an alliance between anemia and obesity wherein weight reduction can be a powerful medium to improve iron absorption in obese adolescents. Also the Body Mass Index can serve as a preliminary non-invasive screening tool to identify potential adolescents prone to anemia. Keywords: Anemia, Obesity, Hepcidin, Leptin, Body Mass Index