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Young adult outcomes associated with lower cognitive functioning in childhood related to iron-fortified formula in

Patricia East1, Jenalee Doom2, Estela Blanco1,3

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.

Nutritional Neuroscience
|August 12, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Infants given iron-fortified formula showed lower cognitive skills, impacting neurocognition, emotion regulation, and education in young adulthood. These findings suggest potential adverse long-term developmental effects from iron-fortified formula consumption.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Iron deficiency anemia is a significant global health concern, particularly in infants.
  • Iron fortification of infant formula is a common strategy to prevent iron deficiency.
  • Long-term cognitive and developmental outcomes associated with early iron intake require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the relationship between early infant formula iron fortification and cognitive and developmental outcomes in young adulthood.
  • To assess the impact of iron-fortified formula consumption on neurocognition, emotion regulation, and educational attainment.
  • To investigate potential dose-dependent effects of iron fortification on long-term development.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial involving 443 Chilean infants (6-12 months) assigned to receive either iron-fortified or low-iron formula.
  • Cognitive assessments (spatial memory, IQ, visual-motor integration) conducted at age 10.
  • Neurocognitive function, emotion regulation, educational level, and adult developmental milestones assessed at age 21.

Main Results:

  • Consumption of iron-fortified formula in infancy was linked to poorer neurocognitive performance at age 10.
  • These childhood deficits correlated with adverse outcomes in young adulthood, including poorer neurocognition, emotional regulation, and lower educational attainment.
  • A dose-response relationship was observed, with higher iron intake associated with lower educational attainment and slower mental processing speed.

Conclusions:

  • Early consumption of iron-fortified formula may have long-term adverse effects on cognitive and developmental trajectories.
  • The findings highlight the need for careful consideration of iron fortification levels in infant formulas.
  • Further research is warranted to understand the mechanisms underlying these long-term impacts.

Keywords:
ChileIron supplementationemotion regulationexecutive functionmemoryneurocognition

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