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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Nutr.

Sec. Nutritional Epidemiology

Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1679989

Ironically Unwell: Anaemia and Iron Deficiency Among Health-Aware Adults in the UK

Provisionally accepted
Allister IrvineAllister Irvine1Joanne WattJoanne Watt1Mary Jo KurthMary Jo Kurth1John V LamontJohn V Lamont1Le Roy DowneyLe Roy Downey2Peter FitzgeraldPeter Fitzgerald1Aaron NiblockAaron Niblock3Alex FairweatherAlex Fairweather1Mark W RuddockMark W Ruddock1*
  • 1Randox (United Kingdom), Crumlin, United Kingdom
  • 2Ulster University, Coleraine, United Kingdom
  • 3Antrim Area Hospital, Antrim, United Kingdom

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Background Anaemia and iron deficiency are a global healthcare burden affecting almost 25% of the population. Many anaemia cases are caused by depletion of iron stores which can be treated by oral iron supplementation. However, anaemia may also result from functional iron deficiency, where chronic inflammation prevents utilisation of stored iron. Anaemia and iron deficiency are rarely profiled in general populations; however, they can have significant healthcare implications. Methods Data from n=33,029 serum samples were retrospectively analysed from individuals undertaking private health checks within Randox Health (UK). Samples were measured to detect anaemia, iron and vitamin deficiencies, based on established guidelines. Results The overall prevalence of anaemia in the study was 6.0% (n=1,917/31,803). The prevalence of anaemia was higher in females, with almost 1 in 10 (9.9%; n=1,558/15,715) classified as anaemic; anaemia prevalence was highest in females aged 18-50 years. Similarly, absolute iron deficiency was also higher in females, with almost 1 in 3 (31.6%; n=4,633/14,677) impacted. Functional iron deficiency was high in the study individuals across all age groups and sexes. This is a provisional file, not the final typeset article Conclusions The study identified that anaemia and iron deficiency are common underlying conditions in a health-conscious UK population. Despite the high prevalence of anaemia and iron deficiency burden on females of menstruating age, demonstrated in this study, and reported in the literature, screening for these conditions is not widespread. Should there be a national screening programme for anaemia and iron deficiency in females?

Keywords: Anaemia, iron deficiency, iron supplementation, haemoglobin, ferritin, Population study

Received: 05 Aug 2025; Accepted: 11 Sep 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Irvine, Watt, Kurth, Lamont, Downey, Fitzgerald, Niblock, Fairweather and Ruddock. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Mark W Ruddock, mark.ruddock@randox.com

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Supplementary Material