Blood loss is a stronger predictor of iron status in men than C282Y heterozygosity or diet.

Objective: To determine the relative importance of HFE gene, diet, lifestyle, and blood loss characteristics for predicting iron status in a sample of men aged 40 years or over.

Design: Iron status (serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, soluble transferrin receptor) was measured in 44 C282Y heterozygote and 85 age- and BMI-matched wildtype men aged 40 years or over. Dietary intake of iron (total, heme and non-heme), and components known to influence iron bioavailability, was determined using a validated Meal-Based Intake Assessment Tool.

Dietary patterns and heritability of food choice in a UK female twin cohort.

To examine the contribution of genetic factors to food choice, we determined dietary patterns from food frequency questionnaires in 3262 UK female twins aged 18 to 79 years. Five distinct dietary patterns were identified (fruit and vegetable, high alcohol, traditional English, dieting, low meat) that accounted for 22% of the total variance. These patterns are similar to those found in other singleton Western populations, and were related to body mass index, smoking status, physical activity and deprivation scores.

Iron absorption in male C282Y heterozygotes.

Background: The suggestion that carriers of the HFE C282Y mutation absorb nonheme iron more efficiently than do carriers of the wild type has public health implications for countries where the C282Y mutation is common and foods are fortified with iron.

Objective: We investigated the effect of C282Y heterozygosity on nonheme-iron absorption from a diet high in bioavailable iron and from iron-fortified cereals.

Design: The subjects were recruited from a parallel study investigating the relation between HFE mutations, habitual diet, and iron status.