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Does the fortified milk with high iron dose improve the neurodevelopment of healthy infants? Randomized controlled
Lucía Iglesias Vázquez1, Josefa Canals2, Núria Voltas2
1Unit of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain.
Insights
Higher iron fortification in infant formula improved iron status but did not impact neurodevelopment in 12-month-old children. This study assessed iron status and neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants receiving different iron doses.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Nutritional Biochemistry
Background:
- Iron is crucial for child development; both deficiency and overload pose risks.
- Assessing iron-fortified milk's impact on infant iron status and neurodevelopment is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effect of iron-fortified milk on the iron biochemical status of 12-month-old children.
- To determine the impact of iron fortification levels on infant neurodevelopment.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 133 Spanish children aged 6 to 12 months.
- Children received formula milk with either 1.2 mg/100 mL or 0.4 mg/100 mL of iron.
- Neurodevelopment was assessed using the Bayley Scales; iron status was measured biochemically.
Main Results:
- Higher iron fortification (1.2 mg/100 mL) led to improved iron status, including higher serum ferritin and lower rates of iron deficiency and anemia.
- No significant differences in psychomotor or mental development were observed between the high-dose and low-dose iron groups.
Conclusions:
- Iron supplementation within recommended dietary levels improved iron status but did not affect neurodevelopment in well-nourished children.
- Further research is needed to explore potential long-term neurodevelopmental benefits of iron supplementation.
Background:
Since iron plays an important role in several physiological processes, its deficiency but also overload may harm the development of children. The aim was to assess the effect of iron-fortified milk on the iron biochemical status and the neurodevelopment of children at 12 months of age.
Methods:
Randomized controlled trial conducted in 133 Spanish children, allocated in two groups to receive formula milk fortified with 1.2 or 0.4 mg/100 mL of iron between 6 and 12 months of age. Psychomotor (PDI) and Mental (MDI) Development Index were assessed by the Bayley Scales before and after the intervention. Maternal obstetrical and psychosocial variables were recorded. The biochemical iron status of children was measured and data about breastfeeding, anthropometry and infections during the first year of life were registered.
Results:
Children fortified with 1.2 mg/100 mL of iron, compared with 0.4 mg/100 mL, showed higher serum ferritin (21.5 vs 19.1 μg/L) and lower percentage of both iron deficiency (1.1 to 5.9% vs 3.8 to 16.7%, respectively, from 6 to 12 months) and iron deficiency anemia (4.3 to 1.1% vs 0 to 4.2%, respectively, from 6 to 12 months) at the end of the intervention. No significant differences were found on neurodevelopment from 6 to 12 months between children who received high dose of Fe compared with those who received low dose.
Conclusion:
Despite differences on the iron status were observed, there were no effects on neurodevelopment of well-nourished children in a developed country after iron supplementation with doses within dietary recommendations. Follow-up studies are needed to test for long-term neurodevelopmental improvement.
Trial Registration:
Retrospectively registered in ClinicalTrials.gov with the ID: NCT02690675.
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