Are eating habits effective screening indicators for anemia in elderly Japanese people? The Kyushu-Asakura Project (KAP)

Objective: The aim of the present study was to explore whether the presence of unhealthy eating habits is an effective indicator of anemia among older people or not. Methods: We used data from a prospective observational cohort study of all users who underwent an annual health checkup at a public clinic in a rural area. The subjects of the present study were 150 users aged 75 years and older who underwent the checkup between January and September 2010. The subjects were first divided by gender and further separated into anemic and non-anemic subgroups according to their estimated anemia prevalences: Hb < 130 g/L for males and Hb < 120 g/L for females. For each category, we compared the subjects’ lifestyles including eating habits between the anemic and non-anemic groups. Results: Both among the women and the men aged 75 and over, there were no significant differences in any items including eating habits between the two anemic subgroups. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the presence of unhealthy eating habits is not an effective indicator of anemia among older people.