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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Nutr.
Sec. Clinical Nutrition
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1530624
This article is part of the Research Topic Iron Deficiency and Excess: Diagnosis, Management and Impact on Human Health View all articles

L-shaped association between dietary iron intake and HPV infection: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Based on National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2016

Provisionally accepted
Xiaotong Chen Xiaotong Chen 1Haiwei Chen Haiwei Chen 1Yuling Chen Yuling Chen 1Lixin Tang Lixin Tang 1Jiaqi Liu Jiaqi Liu 1Yu Hua OU Yu Hua OU 2*
  • 1 Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
  • 2 The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a ubiquitous sexually transmitted infection globally, frequently associated with sexual behaviors characterized by increased frequency and multiple partnerships. The relationship between varying levels of dietary iron intake and the occurrence of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection remains an unresolved question in the scientific community.The objective of our study was to investigate the potential relationship between the consumption of dietary iron and HPV infection.Our investigation drew upon comprehensive datasets from 7,819 participants enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2005 to 2016. Employing a crosssectional analytical framework, we delved into the potential correlation between dietary iron consumption and Human Papillomavirus infection. To statistically assess this relationship, we utilized weighted multivariate logistic regression models. Additionally, we implemented smooth curve fitting and threshold effect analysis, to delineate the complex, nonlinear association between iron intake and HPV infection. Furthermore, we conducted subgroup analyses. After adjusting for multiple confounding variables, our results demonstrated a statistically significant inverse association between iron intake and HPV infection (OR = 0.988, 95% CI: 0.979-0.998, p=0.018). It's worth noting that, in comparison to individuals in the quartile with the lowest iron intake, those in the highest quartile exhibited a 23.2% reduction in the odds of HPV infection for each incremental unit of iron intake (OR = 0.768, 95% CI: 0.634 to 0.930, p=0.009). A refined analysis employing smoothing curve fitting techniques unveiled an L-shaped correlation, delineating a specific relationship between dietary iron intake and the incidence rate of Human Papillomavirus infection. When iron intake was <16.99 mg, a higher incidence of HPV infection was associated with lower levels of iron intake. (OR = 0.968, 95% CI: 0.956-0.980, p<0.001).The presence of an L-shaped association between iron intake and HPV infection underscores and emphasizes the possible beneficial effect of sufficient iron intake in reducing the likelihood of HPV infection.

    Keywords: Human papillomavirus, iron intake, nutrition, female reproductive diseases, infectious diseases

    Received: 19 Nov 2024; Accepted: 13 Jan 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Chen, Chen, Chen, Tang, Liu and OU. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Yu Hua OU, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510260, Guangdong Province, China

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