Regardless of these associations between EBV and hepcidin, CRP and AGP, we did not observe a significant association between EBV infection and overweight/obesity: EBV positive = 35.9% (47/131) vs. EBV negative = 16.7% (2/12), stunting: EBV positive = 6.1% (8/131) vs. EBV negative = 0% (0/12), or iron deficiency (ID): EBV positive = 15.3% (20/131) vs. EBV negative = 16.7% (2/12). Here, HAMP is linked to obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.