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Iron deficiency in infancy: is an immigrant more at risk?

Marie-Elise Verga1, Véronique Widmeier-Pasche2, Maja Beck-Popovic1

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Lausanne University Hospital, Site Hôpital de l'Enfance, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Swiss Medical Weekly
|December 24, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Iron deficiency is more prevalent in immigrant children compared to non-immigrants. Immigration and unemployment are identified as significant risk factors for iron deficiency in infants.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Global Health
  • Nutritional Epidemiology

Background:

  • Iron deficiency is a global health concern, disproportionately affecting developing countries and low socioeconomic groups.
  • Understanding disparities in iron deficiency prevalence is crucial for targeted public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine and compare the prevalence of iron deficiency in immigrant versus non-immigrant populations at 12 months of age.
  • To identify risk factors associated with iron deficiency in early childhood.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 463 infants at 12 months of age was analyzed.
  • Measurements included hemoglobin, ferritin, anthropometric data, and familial/nutritional status.
  • Infants were categorized into immigrant and non-immigrant groups.

Main Results:

  • The overall prevalence of iron deficiency was 5.7% at 12 months.
  • A statistically significant higher prevalence of iron deficiency was observed in the immigrant group (p = 0.01).
  • Multivariable analysis identified immigration (OR 2.91) and unemployment (OR 6.08) as significant risk factors.

Conclusions:

  • Immigrant infants exhibit a higher prevalence of iron deficiency compared to their non-immigrant counterparts.
  • Immigration status and parental unemployment are key risk factors for infant iron deficiency.
  • Early introduction of cereals before 9 months may be protective; further longitudinal studies are warranted.
Abstract

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