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Factors influencing iron nutrition among one-year-old healthy children in Sweden
Ann-Cathrine Bramhagen1, Johan Svahn, Inger Hallström
1Faculty of Health and Society Nursing Science, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden. ann-cathrine.bramhagen@.mah.se
Insights
Many one-year-olds in Sweden have low iron intake, increasing deficiency risk. Educating parents on iron-rich foods can improve children's iron status.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Nutritional Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Iron deficiency is a significant global nutritional disorder, particularly impacting children due to rapid growth and high iron requirements.
- Delayed mental and motor development are increased risks associated with iron deficiency in early childhood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate social, nutritional, and biological factors affecting iron intake and status in healthy Swedish one-year-olds.
- To identify specific dietary and demographic influences on iron levels in young children.
Main Methods:
- A prospective survey study involving 90 randomly selected one-year-old children and their parents.
- Data collection included parental questionnaires on demographics, feeding, and health, alongside analysis of children's food intake and blood biomarkers (hemoglobin, ferritin).
Main Results:
- 27% of children had iron intake below Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (8 mg/day).
- Follow-on formula and iron-fortified porridge were primary iron sources (64%).
- Low maternal education and partial breastfeeding correlated with reduced iron intake from complementary foods; 10.3% were iron-depleted and 2.3% had iron deficiency.
Conclusions:
- One-year-old children in Sweden are at risk for iron deficiency.
- Providing information on iron-rich foods can enhance children's iron status.
- Understanding influencing factors can improve nutritional guidance from Child Health Services to prevent and detect iron deficiency.
Aims And Objectives:
To describe possible social, nutritional and biological factors influencing iron intake and iron status among healthy one-year-old children in southern Sweden.
Background:
Iron deficiency is one of the most important nutritional disorders and increases the risk of delayed mental and motor development. Children are at risk because of rapid growth, which entails relatively high requirements of iron.
Design:
A prospective study using survey methods.
Method:
Randomly selected one-year-old children (n = 90) and their parents participated. Parents answered a questionnaire enquiring about demographic data and the child's feeding and health during the first year. The child's total food intake and blood samples (haemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, S-ferritin and transferring receptor) were obtained. Results. Twenty-seven per cent of the children had an iron intake below the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations of 8 mg/day (NNR 2004). Follow-on formula and iron-fortified porridge contributed to 64% of the child's total iron intake. Partial breastfeeding and low maternal education correlated negatively with iron intake from complementary food. In total, 10·3% (n = 9) of the children were found to be iron-depleted (S-ferritin ≤ 12 μg/l), and 2·3% (n = 2) had iron deficiency with or without anaemia (Hb ≤ 100 g/l).
Conclusions:
One-year-old children in Sweden may be at risk of developing iron deficiency, but information about iron-rich food can improve iron status.
Relevance To Clinical Practice:
Knowledge about factors influencing children's iron intake and iron status may improve the nutritional advice and education from the Child Health Services to prevent or detect iron deficiency.
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