The purpose of this study was to determine whether adherance to a modified vegetarian diet predisposed young female athletes to iron deficiency. Two groups of female distance runners volunteered to be subjects for this study. One group consisted of women who regularly consumed red meat, and the other groups women who consumed a modified vegetarian diet. Three day dietary records analyzed to estimate nutrient intake, including available iron. Measures of serum ferritin, serum iron, total iron binding capacity, percent transferrin saturation, hemoglobin and hematocrit were done to asses iron status. The two groups did not differ in the amount of total iron or available iron in their diets. The red meat eating subjects consumed significantly more heme iron from their diets than the modified vegetarians; however there were no differences between the two groups in any of the measures of hematological or iron status. While there were no differences between the two groups in the percent of subjects classified in each stage, 37% of all of the subjects were classified as having a stage 1 deficiency, associated with iron deficient stores, and 11% of the subjects were classified as having a stage 2 deficiency, indicating iron deficient erythropoiesis. None of the subjects were anemic. The results indicate that adherance to a modifed vegetarian diet in this age group did not increase the risk of iron deficiency. / School of Physical Education
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/183621 |
| Date | January 1988 |
| Creators | Newcomer, Lisa |
| Contributors | Ball State University. School of Physical Education., Roepke, Judith B. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | ii, 45 leaves ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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