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Iron status, energy intake, and nutritional status of healthy young Asian children
1Department of Paediatrics, University of Sheffield, Northern General Hospital.
Insights
Iron deficiency is common in Asian children aged 4-40 months, with levels decreasing with age. Nutrition education is recommended over iron supplements for at-risk communities.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Hematology
- Public Health
Background:
- Iron deficiency is a significant global health concern, particularly in young children.
- Assessing nutritional status in early childhood is crucial for development and long-term health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the iron status, dietary intake, and protein-energy nutritional status of healthy Asian children.
- To determine the prevalence of iron deficiency and anemia in this population.
- To explore associations between iron status, diet, and overall nutritional status.
Main Methods:
- Community-based study involving 138 children aged 4-40 months.
- Biochemical assessments included serum ferritin, erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular volume.
- Dietary intake assessed via weighed inventories, and nutritional status via anthropometry.
Main Results:
- Iron status indicators (serum ferritin, hemoglobin, MCH, MCV) decreased with age, being lower in toddlers (21-23 months) than infants (<6 months).
- Erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin peaked in the 21-23 month age group.
- 35% of children were iron deficient, 17% were anemic, with no observed association between iron status and dietary intake or protein-energy status.
Conclusions:
- Iron deficiency and anemia are prevalent in Asian children aged 4-40 months.
- Screening and targeted nutrition education are recommended for at-risk communities.
- Prophylactic iron treatment may be less effective than community-based nutrition education.
Abstract:
The iron status, dietary intake, and protein energy nutritional status of healthy Asian children ranging in age from 4 to 40 months was investigated. The serum ferritin, erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin, haemoglobin and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentrations, and mean corpuscular volume were determined in a community study of 138 children. Protein energy nutritional status was estimated by anthropometry and a four or five day weighed dietary inventory was completed by 97 children. Concentrations of the serum ferritin, haemoglobin, and mean corpuscular haemoglobin, and the mean corpuscular volume decreased progressively with increasing age. The mean values for these four indices were significantly lower in toddlers between 21 and 23 months age than in infants less than 6 months old. The mean erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin was high in the first six months, later falling and rising again to peak in the 21 to 23 month age group. Thirty five per cent of children were iron deficient (serum ferritin concentration less than 10 micrograms/l) and low values for the mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin were observed in 33% and 35% respectively and 17% were anaemic (haemoglobin concentration less than 110 g/l). No association was observed between biochemical iron status and the dietary intake of energy or iron. Nor was there an association between protein energy nutritional status and iron status. Screening for iron deficiency in communities at risk is recommended and nutrition education using trained link workers is preferred to prophylactic iron treatment.