Iron Pots for the Prevention and Treatment of Anemia in Preschoolers

To assess the effect of food cooked in iron pots for the prevention and treatment of iron deficiency anemia.

In this cluster randomized clinical trial, authors evaluated preschoolers aged 4-5 y for 16 wk. Children were cluster randomized to either eating from iron pots (Group A) or aluminum pots (Group B). Primary outcome variables were change in hemoglobin concentration and anemia prevalence. Two biochemical evaluations were performed, to determine Hb concentrations, before and after intervention. This study was conducted in two public preschools, located in the municipality of Mucambo, Ceará, in the northeast of Brazil.

At baseline, for group A, mean hemoglobin concentration was 12.26 ± 1.02 g/dL and 12.29 ± 0.95 g/dL after intervention, p = 0.78. In group B, mean baseline hemoglobin was 12.34 ± 1.04 g/dL, and 12.13 ± 0.86 g/dL after intervention, p = 0.07. All ten participants, who were anemic at baseline, were no longer anemic after intervention.

Using iron cooking pots in developing countries could provide an innovative strategy to prevent and treat iron deficiency anemia.