Dietary predictors of hemoglobin and anemia: Tea, coffee, and meat consumption in Indonesian adults
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25170/djm.v25i2.7700Keywords:
anemia, hemoglobin, tea, coffee, meatAbstract
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Anemia remains a major public health problem in Indonesia, with prevalence increasing across adult populations. Tea and coffee contain tannins that may inhibit iron absorption, while low meat intake reduces bioavailable iron. Although these mechanisms are established, evidence in Indonesian adults remains limited. Therefore this study aims to assess the associations between tea, coffee, and meat consumption with hemoglobin levels and anemia status in Indonesian adults.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included 193 adult patients presenting to the Emergency Department of RSUD Cengkareng. Participants with cirrhosis, end-stage kidney disease, malignancy, acute bleeding, recent transfusion, pregnancy, menstruation, or hematological disorders were excluded. Dietary intake was categorized as meat (<1, 1–2, ≥3 times/week), tea and coffee (0, 1–2, ≥3 cups/day). Anemia was defined using WHO hemoglobin cutoffs. Spearman correlation was used to assess predictors of hemoglobin levels, while logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, and BMI was used to assess predictors of anemia.
Results: Neither tea, coffee, nor meat consumption were significantly associated with anemia or hemoglobin levels. In contrast, both female sex (Spearman’s rho = –0.281, p < 0.001) and age (Spearman’s rho = –0.224, p = 0.002) were significantly correlated with hemoglobin levels. Age was associated with higher anemia prevalence, each additional year increased anemia risk (adjusted OR 1.019, p<0.05).
Conclusion: Tea, coffee, and meat consumption were not significant dietary predictors of anemia or hemoglobin, whereas age and female sex were independent determinants. Future research should incorporate iron indices and broader nutritional factors to refine anemia prevention strategies.
Key Words: Anemia, hemoglobin, tea, coffee, meat.
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