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Dietary Iron Sources Among 9-Month-Old Infants from Low-Income Households
Elizabeth F Acquah1, Jeffrey D Labban2, Seth M Armah1
1Department of Nutrition, School of Health and Human Sciences, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA.
Nutrients
|May 13, 2026
Summary
Many infants do not meet daily iron recommendations. Iron-fortified cereal is a key source, especially for formula-fed infants, helping bridge the gap in dietary iron intake.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Dietary Guidelines
- Infant Health
Background:
- The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 11 mg of iron daily for infants aged 6-12 months.
- The role of iron-rich foods in meeting these infant iron intake guidelines is not well understood.
- Understanding iron intake is crucial for preventing deficiencies in this age group.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the contribution of iron-fortified cereal, infant formula, and heme iron sources to infants' total dietary iron.
- To examine differences in iron adequacy based on milk feeding type (breast milk only, mixed, or formula only).
- To identify feeding patterns associated with meeting daily iron requirements through diet.
Main Methods:
- Mothers of infants (6-12 months) were recruited from a pediatric clinic.
- Infants' dietary iron intake was estimated using 24-hour feeding recalls.
- Milk feeding types were categorized as breast milk only (BF), mixed (MF), or infant formula only (FF); statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression.
Main Results:
- 39% of infants consumed less than the recommended 11 mg of iron daily from dietary sources.
- Inadequate iron intake was significantly higher in breast milk only (72%) and mixed feeding (74%) groups compared to formula-fed (24%).
- Iron-fortified cereals were consumed by 46% of infants, contributing a median of 6.75 mg iron; infant formula provided 63% of the daily requirement for formula-fed infants.
Conclusions:
- Inadequate dietary iron intake is a common issue among 6-12-month-old infants.
- Iron-fortified infant cereal plays a significant role in contributing to infants' dietary iron intake.
- Further research is needed to explore the relationship between iron sources (heme vs. non-heme), total intake, and iron status in infants.
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