IRON PROFILE ALTERATIONS IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE PREMENOPAUSAL WOMEN: A HOSPITALBASED COMPARATIVE CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Background: Excess body weight is characterized by persistent low-grade systemic inflammation, which can disrupt ironregulation and increase the likelihood of functional iron deficiency. Premenopausal women are particularly vulnerable becauseof increased physiological iron requirements and menstrual blood loss. However, data on obesity-related alterations in ironmetabolism among Indian women remain limited. The present study investigated alterations in iron profile parameters andexamined their association with body mass index (BMI) in overweight and obese premenopausal women. Materials andMethods: This hospital-based comparative cross-sectional study included 100 premenopausal women aged 18–50 years,comprising 50 (50.0%) overweight/obese women (BMI ≥23 kg/m²) and 50 (50.0%) normal-weight women (BMI 18.0–22.9kg/m²). Hemoglobin, serum iron, serum ferritin, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), HbA1c, andthyroid function tests were measured using standard laboratory methods. Group comparisons were performed using theindependent Student's t-test or Mann–Whitney U test, while Spearman's rank correlation coefficient analysis evaluated theassociation between BMI and laboratory parameters. Results: Overweight/obese women had significantly lower hemoglobin,serum iron, and ferritin and higher TIBC, CRP, and HbA1c than normal-weight women (p < 0.05). BMI correlated negativelywith hemoglobin, serum iron, and ferritin and positively with TIBC, CRP, and HbA1c (all p < 0.05). Thyroid parameters didnot differ significantly between groups. Conclusion: Overweight and obesity are associated with altered iron status andincreased inflammatory activity in premenopausal women, suggesting a potential link between excess adiposity, inflammation,and disturbances in iron metabolism. Assessment of iron status in conjunction with inflammatory markers may supportcomprehensive assessment of iron status in overweight and obese premenopausal women.