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Serum iron

Table 3.2.a. Serum iron: Total population

Geometric mean and selected percentiles of serum concentrations (in µg/dL) for the total U.S. population aged 1 year and older, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2000.

Geometric mean
(95% conf. interval)

Selected percentiles (95% conf. interval)

Sample
size

10th

50th

90th

Males and Females

Total, 1 year and older

81.2

(79.5-83.0)

45.0

(42.0-46.0)

85.0

(84.0-87.0)

137

(134-139)

7877

1–5 years

65.2

(62.0-68.4)

31.0

(27.0-35.0)

70.0

(64.0-79.0)

115

(110-124)

704

6–11 years

71.5

(68.2-75.0)

39.0

(34.0-41.0)

76.0

(69.0-82.0)

126

(117-131)

887

12–19 years

82.1

(79.7-84.7)

45.0

(42.0-47.0)

87.0

(83.0-89.0)

141

(133-145)

2127

20–39 years

84.5

(81.3-87.8)

45.0

(41.0-48.0)

88.0

(86.0-93.0)

146

(139-154)

1470

40–59 years

83.3

(80.3-86.4)

50.0

(46.0-52.0)

87.0

(83.0-92.0)

135

(131-139)

1199

60 years and older

82.0

(78.5-85.8)

49.0

(44.0-54.0)

83.0

(80.0-86.0)

132

(126-139)

1490

Males

Total, 1 year and older

88.1

(86.1-90.0)

51.0

(49.0-54.0)

92.0

(89.0-94.0)

144

(141-147)

3879

1–5 years

64.9

(61.3-68.7)

33.0

(26.0-38.0)

67.0

(65.0-73.0)

116

(103-125)

388

6–11 years

69.6

(65.9-73.5)

38.0

(31.0-41.0)

75.0

(67.0-81.0)

115

(105-129)

463

12–19 years

92.0

(86.3-98.0)

52.0

(43.0-59.0)

96.0

(91.0-100)

150

(139-161)

1080

20–39 years

93.8

(91.4-96.3)

60.0

(56.0-63.0)

94.0

(92.0-98.0)

154

(141-163)

632

40–59 years

93.7

(89.1-98.6)

56.0

(52.0-63.0)

97.0

(92.0-103)

141

(137-148)

570

60 years and older

86.6

(83.2-90.0)

52.0

(44.0-56.0)

88.0

(85.0-91.0)

145

(137-154)

746

Females

Total, 1 year and older

75.1

(73.3-76.9)

39.0

(37.0-43.0)

79.0

(77.0-81.0)

130

(124-135)

3998

1–5 years

65.5

(58.8-72.9)

30.0

(24.0-37.0)

76.0

(60.0-85.0)

114

(108-128)

316

6–11 years

73.8

(66.9-81.4)

37.0

(27.0-46.0)

76.0

(67.0-87.0)

133

(111-148)

424

12–19 years

72.9

(69.0-77.0)

40.0

(36.0-42.0)

77.0

(71.0-81.0)

128

(116-135)

1047

20–39 years

76.2

(72.0-80.6)

36.0

(33.0-41.0)

82.0

(74.0-87.0)

137

(128-151)

838

40–59 years

74.7

(71.6-77.9)

44.0

(38.0-48.0)

78.0

(71.0-83.0)

125

(115-134)

629

60 years and older

78.5

(73.9-83.5)

49.0

(40.0-54.0)

80.0

(76.0-85.0)

125

(114-133)

744

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Table 3.2.b. Serum iron: Mexican Americans

Geometric mean and selected percentiles of serum concentrations (in µg/dL) for Mexican Americans in the U.S. population aged 1 year and older, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2000.

Geometric mean
(95% conf. interval)

Selected percentiles (95% conf. interval)

Sample
size

10th

50th

90th

Males and Females

Total, 1 year and older

80.1

(77.7-82.6)

40.0

(38.0-44.0)

84.0

(81.0-87.0)

139

(136-147)

2710

1–5 years

62.3

(56.6-68.6)

28.0

(21.0-35.0)

70.0

(60.0-79.0)

120

(111-135)

277

6–11 years

71.2

(65.8-77.1)

41.0

(34.0-45.0)

75.0

(68.0-83.0)

117

(110-133)

361

12–19 years

83.3

(79.3-87.4)

44.0

(38.0-48.0)

89.0

(83.0-93.0)

143

(138-148)

938

20–39 years

85.1

(80.1-90.4)

43.0

(37.0-51.0)

88.0

(80.0-97.0)

149

(138-162)

407

40–59 years

85.1

(81.7-88.6)

47.0

(41.0-52.0)

89.0

(83.0-96.0)

147

(131-162)

344

60 years and older

82.1

(76.7-87.7)

48.0

(42.0-52.0)

85.0

(77.0-95.0)

134

(130-139)

383

Males

Total, 1 year and older

90.0

(86.1-94.1)

49.0

(45.0-55.0)

96.0

(90.0-99.0)

153

(143-162)

1348

1–5 years

61.6

(54.7-69.4)

28.0

(21.0-35.0)

65.0

(57.0-75.0)

120

(97.0-148)

152

6–11 years

71.4

(63.3-80.6)

42.0

(32.0-49.0)

74.0

(66.0-84.0)

115

(100-134)

198

12–19 years

94.1

(90.8-97.6)

53.0

(49.0-58.0)

97.0

(92.0-103)

156

(150-162)

481

20–39 years

102

(96.5-109)

62.0

(56.0-69.0)

107

(101-111)

162

(150-176)

170

40–59 years

101

(93.9-108)

62.0

(50.0-76.0)

102

(93.0-112)

151

(133-178)

152

60 years and older

87.3

(81.9-93.0)

44.0

(30.0-60.0)

95.0

(82.0-102)

141

(130-155)

195

Females

Total, 1 year and older

70.8

(67.7-74.1)

36.0

(33.0-38.0)

76.0

(71.0-79.0)

127

(117-132)

1362

1–5 years

63.3

(56.3-71.1)

26.0

(16.0-37.0)

74.0

(58.0-86.0)

117

(105-138)

125

6–11 years

71.1

(64.4-78.4)

38.0

(22.0-51.0)

79.0

(70.0-84.0)

118

(110-129)

163

12–19 years

74.2

(66.6-82.7)

36.0

(30.0-46.0)

79.0

(71.0-87.0)

127

(96.0-144)

457

20–39 years

69.2

(61.3-78.1)

35.0

(30.0-41.0)

75.0

(66.0-84.0)

124

(111-129)

237

40–59 years

72.6

(68.4-77.0)

36.0

(27.0-47.0)

73.0

(66.0-83.0)

130

(116-154)

192

60 years and older

77.4

(70.5-85.1)

48.0

(37.0-57.0)

78.0

(72.0-86.0)

123

(109-137)

188

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Table 3.2.c. Serum iron: Non-Hispanic blacks

Geometric mean and selected percentiles of serum concentrations (in µg/dL) for non-Hispanic blacks in the U.S. population aged 1 year and older, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2000.

Geometric mean
(95% conf. interval)

Selected percentiles (95% conf. interval)

Sample
size

10th

50th

90th

Males and Females

Total, 1 year and older

71.7

(69.0-74.6)

38.0

(35.0-39.0)

75.0

(71.0-80.0)

122

(119-130)

1784

1–5 years

67.2

(60.0-75.3)

37.0

(30.0-50.0)

69.0

(62.0-80.0)

109

(96.0-125)

172

6–11 years

71.5

(67.2-76.1)

40.0

(34.0-48.0)

77.0

(73.0-80.0)

117

(103-124)

261

12–19 years

73.5

(68.0-79.4)

39.0

(33.0-42.0)

79.0

(71.0-84.0)

127

(118-138)

584

20–39 years

74.1

(70.0-78.5)

35.0

(31.0-41.0)

81.0

(74.0-83.0)

133

(122-147)

274

40–59 years

71.5

(66.6-76.8)

39.0

(34.0-45.0)

71.0

(66.0-80.0)

126

(112-139)

251

60 years and older

65.4

(61.5-69.5)

33.0

(30.0-40.0)

67.0

(65.0-72.0)

109

(99.0-119)

242

Males

Total, 1 year and older

80.4

(76.3-84.7)

47.0

(39.0-52.0)

82.0

(78.0-85.0)

132

(121-141)

875

1–5 years

68.4

(60.4-77.6)

37.0†

(33.0-40.0)

69.0

(58.0-80.0)

110†

(88.0-149)

93

6–11 years

71.4

(65.7-77.6)

37.0

(28.0-50.0)

79.0

(73.0-84.0)

117

(103-122)

129

12–19 years

82.2

(77.7-86.9)

46.0

(41.0-54.0)

89.0

(82.0-94.0)

132

(121-138)

301

20–39 years

88.4

(82.2-95.0)

57.0

(44.0-67.0)

91.0

(82.0-98.0)

137

(120-153)

117

40–59 years

80.4

(71.8-90.1)

50.0

(31.0-55.0)

80.0

(70.0-94.0)

136

(119-157)

122

60 years and older

73.0

(66.1-80.5)

35.0

(32.0-54.0)

72.0

(64.0-81.0)

119

(101-141)

113

Females

Total, 1 year and older

64.7

(62.1-67.4)

33.0

(30.0-36.0)

67.0

(65.0-70.0)

118

(110-122)

909

1–5 years

65.8

(56.5-76.7)

33.0†

(21.0-54.0)

71.0

(60.0-82.0)

103†

(97.0-123)

79

6–11 years

71.6

(66.3-77.3)

40.0

(27.0-49.0)

76.0

(69.0-80.0)

119

(101-128)

132

12–19 years

65.3

(57.6-74.1)

34.0

(22.0-40.0)

69.0

(60.0-81.0)

123

(108-135)

283

20–39 years

63.9

(59.3-68.9)

30.0

(20.0-33.0)

67.0

(61.0-77.0)

123

(112-159)

157

40–59 years

64.7

(58.2-71.9)

36.0

(31.0-45.0)

67.0

(60.0-71.0)

106

(91.0-115)

129

60 years and older

60.3

(57.3-63.3)

35.0

(29.0-40.0)

65.0

(58.0-68.0)

103

(86.0-116)

129

† Estimate is subject to greater uncertainty due to small cell size.

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Table 3.2.d. Serum iron: Non-Hispanic whites

Geometric mean and selected percentiles of serum concentrations (in µg/dL) for non-Hispanic whites in the U.S. population aged 1 year and older, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2000.

Geometric mean
(95% conf. interval)

Selected percentiles (95% conf. interval)

Sample
size

10th

50th

90th

Males and Females

Total, 1 year and older

84.0

(81.8-86.2)

47.0

(45.0-51.0)

88.0

(86.0-89.0)

139

(135-141)

2645

1–5 years

68.5

(63.2-74.3)

35.0

(25.0-44.0)

76.0

(66.0-85.0)

117

(109-132)

170

6–11 years

72.6

(67.2-78.5)

37.0

(30.0-41.0)

80.0

(66.0-90.0)

131

(113-146)

191

12–19 years

85.2

(81.2-89.4)

45.0

(40.0-51.0)

89.0

(85.0-91.0)

145

(137-153)

419

20–39 years

87.3

(81.7-93.3)

46.0

(41.0-56.0)

90.0

(85.0-96.0)

148

(139-158)

609

40–59 years

85.9

(82.0-90.0)

51.0

(48.0-54.0)

90.0

(85.0-96.0)

135

(129-140)

496

60 years and older

84.0

(80.4-87.8)

51.0

(47.0-56.0)

86.0

(84.0-90.0)

132

(127-139)

760

Males

Total, 1 year and older

89.9

(86.9-92.9)

53.0

(50.0-56.0)

93.0

(90.0-96.0)

146

(141-151)

1315

1–5 years

67.7

(59.9-76.4)

33.0†

(21.0-45.0)

72.0

(64.0-85.0)

118†

(100-149)

91

6–11 years

70.0

(63.9-76.7)

32.0†

(29.0-41.0)

79.0

(66.0-87.0)

115†

(101-141)

101

12–19 years

94.4

(85.3-104)

52.0

(42.0-64.0)

97.0

(89.0-108)

161

(145-173)

214

20–39 years

94.8

(91.7-98.0)

60.0

(52.0-64.0)

95.0

(92.0-101)

154

(141-169)

265

40–59 years

95.3

(88.6-103)

59.0

(53.0-65.0)

98.0

(92.0-106)

140

(132-147)

254

60 years and older

87.6

(83.9-91.6)

53.0

(47.0-58.0)

88.0

(85.0-92.0)

146

(136-155)

390

Females

Total, 1 year and older

78.5

(76.2-80.9)

43.0

(40.0-46.0)

84.0

(80.0-87.0)

132

(124-141)

1330

1–5 years

69.5

(62.4-77.5)

35.0†

(25.0-40.0)

82.0

(58.0-88.0)

116†

(108-132)

79

6–11 years

75.8

(64.4-89.1)

38.0†

(24.0-50.0)

80.0

(60.0-99.0)

136†

(118-155)

90

12–19 years

75.8

(68.3-84.1)

42.0

(36.0-46.0)

80.0

(69.0-87.0)

127

(115-144)

205

20–39 years

80.4

(72.7-89.0)

41.0

(29.0-47.0)

88.0

(74.0-96.0)

144

(130-161)

344

40–59 years

77.6

(74.6-80.6)

46.0

(39.0-51.0)

80.0

(72.0-85.0)

126

(113-135)

242

60 years and older

81.1

(76.2-86.3)

51.0

(43.0-58.0)

83.0

(79.0-87.0)

125

(113-135)

370

† Estimate is subject to greater uncertainty due to small cell size.

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  • Page last reviewed: July 30, 2008
  • Page last updated: July 30, 2008
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