Excessive dieting disqualifying female blood donors: report

SEOUL, Sept. 23 (Yonhap) -- Four out of ten South Korean females were turned
away from blood donation centers last year, mostly because of low hemoglobin
levels due to excessive dieting, a government report said Tuesday.
Among 830,402 women who volunteered to donate blood last year, 347,589, or 42
percent, were declared disqualified, according to the Korea National Red Cross's
report to the parliament Tuesday.
Nearly 70 percent of them had low hemoglobin levels, mainly caused by poor eating
habits and excessive dieting. In contrast, only 6 percent of disqualified male
blood donors showed the same symptoms.
A low hemoglobin level, also referred to as red blood cell count, has been the
No. 1 reason for rejecting donors since 2002. The rate has increased by 43
percent during the past four years.
When combined with certain proteins, iron turns into hemoglobin in red blood
cells and carries oxygen to body tissues.
Experts advise women to eat more iron-rich foods such as lean meats, eggs, peas
and beans to help blood regeneration and prevent loss of body energy.
Overall blood donations in South Korea have seen a sharp decline recently, with a
decrease of 11 percent in the last five years, according to the Red Cross report.
If the trend continues, the country is expected to meet only 44.5 percent of its
required blood quota, according to a recent government report.