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Biological evaluation of iron availability from pre-adolescent diets by using anaemic rats
1Department of Foods and Nutrition, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India.
Insights
Iron bioavailability was higher in diets supplemented with buffalo
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Biochemistry
- Pediatric Nutrition
Background:
- Iron deficiency anemia is prevalent in pre-adolescent children from low socio-economic groups.
- Dietary iron bioavailability is crucial for preventing anemia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess iron bioavailability from habitual diets of low socio-economic pre-adolescent children.
- To evaluate the impact of supplementing these diets with legumes or milk on iron bioavailability.
Main Methods:
- The study utilized an anemia rat model.
- Hemoglobin regeneration assay was employed to measure iron bioavailability relative to ferrous sulfate (FeSO4).
Main Results:
- Milk supplementation significantly increased iron bioavailability to 69.5% compared to 47.5% in the unsupplemented diet.
- Legume supplementation (green gram and moth bean) showed no improvement in iron bioavailability.
Conclusions:
- Buffalo milk is an effective supplement for enhancing dietary iron bioavailability in children.
- Legume supplementation did not improve iron bioavailability in this context.
Abstract:
The bioavailability of iron from habitually consumed diet by pre-adolescent children of low socio-economic group and the diet supplemented with additional 8 g of protein supplied by 34 g legumes (Green gram and Moth bean 1:1) or 195 ml of buffalo's milk to per day diet was studied in anaemic rats using haemoglobin regeneration method. The bioavailability of iron for haemoglobin regeneration relative to FeSO4 was 69.5 percent from milk supplemented diet as compared to 47.5 percent from the diet normally consumed by pre-adolescent children of low socio-economic group while legume supplementation to the diet showed no improvement.
