Infrequent consumption of Laban is associated with anemia in adults aged >50 years in Saudi Arabia

Abstract Introduction: Limited information is available on the prevalence of anemia in adults and elderly. Contradictory results are available regarding the association between drinking Laban and anemia in children and adults. No study has explored this association in the adults/elderly population. The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence and association between anemia and food items among adults aged >50 years in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Material & Methods: 266 Saudi adults aged >50 years were invited to participate in a cross-sectional study in Riyadh. Anthropometric measurements were taken and blood samples were collected. Blood hemoglobin was measured with a Coulter Cellular Analysis System using the light scattering method. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the food items significantly associated with anemia. Results: The mean (±SD) hemoglobin was 13.8 (±1.6) mg/dL. Anemia was prevalent among 19.9% (n = 53) of the participants. Infrequent intake of red meat [adjusted Odds Ratio [ORa] 3.4; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2, 9.7] and Laban (fermented yogurt drink) [ORa 2.7, 95% CI 1.1, 6.7] were significantly associated with anemia, whereas obesity (BMI >30) was protective [aOR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2, 0.9] from anemia. Conclusion: Anemia is prevalent among Saudi males and females aged >50 years. The association between drinking Laban and anemia support the emerging evidence on the role of probiotics in preventing anemia among adults and elderly. It is recommended that people aged >50 years should get regularly screened for anemia.