The aim of this study was to assess the effect of
vegetarian diet on
iron metabolism parameters paying special attention to serum
hepcidin and soluble
transferrin receptor (sTfR) concentrations in 43 prepubertal children (age range 4.5-9.0 years) on vegetarian and in 46 children on omnivorous diets. There were no significant differences according to age, weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) between vegetarian and omnivorous children. Vegetarians had similar intake of
iron and
vitamin B12 and a significantly higher intake of
vitamin C (p < 0.05) compared with non-vegetarians. Hematologic parameters and serum
iron concentrations were within the reference range in both groups of children. Serum
transferrin levels were similar in all subjects; however,
ferritin concentrations were significantly (p < 0.01) lower in vegetarians than in omnivores. In children on a
vegetarian diet, median
hepcidin levels were lower (p < 0.05) but sTfR concentrations significantly higher (p < 0.001) compared with omnivorous children. In the multivariate regression model, we observed associations between
hepcidin level and
ferritin concentration (β = 0.241, p = 0.05) in the whole group of children as well as between
hepcidin concentration and CRP level (β = 0.419, p = 0.047) in vegetarians. We did not find significant associations with concentration of sTfR and selected biochemical, anthropometric, and dietary parameters in any of the studied groups of children. As hematologic parameters and
iron concentrations in vegetarians and omnivores were comparable and
ferritin level was lower in vegetarians, we suggest that inclusion of novel markers, in particular sTfR (not cofounded by
inflammation) and
hepcidin, can better detect subclinical
iron deficiency in children following
vegetarian diets.