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Dietary intake of Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn in infants

J Richmond1, C D Strehlow, S R Chalkley

  • 1Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, London, England.

British Journal of Biomedical Science
|September 1, 1993
PubMed

Insights

This study tracked the dietary intake of essential elements in infants, finding that as solid food intake increased, the intake of lead (Pb) and iron (Fe) decreased with age. Calcium (Ca) and zinc (Zn) intake, however, rose with age and solid food consumption.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Environmental Health
  • Human Physiology

Background:

  • Infant nutrition is critical for development, with dietary intake of essential and potentially toxic elements requiring careful monitoring.
  • Understanding elemental intake trends in early childhood is vital for assessing nutritional status and potential health risks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify the daily dietary intake of aluminum (Al), calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in healthy infants.
  • To analyze age-related trends in elemental intake, differentiating between fluid and solid food sources.
  • To compare elemental content in various milk sources, including formula, cow's milk, and breast milk, and assess aluminum levels in infant foodstuffs.

Main Methods:

  • Dietary intake of six elements (Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn) was measured in 39 healthy children aged 17-61 weeks.
  • Trends in daily intake were analyzed in relation to age and transition from fluid to solid foods.
  • Elemental intake from different milk types (formula, cow's, breast milk) was quantified.
  • Aluminum concentrations in infant foodstuffs, including soya and cow's milk-based formulae, were determined.

Main Results:

  • A downward trend in daily intake of fluid, lead (Pb), and iron (Fe) was observed with increasing age.
  • Conversely, solid food intake, calcium (Ca), and zinc (Zn) intake showed an upward trend with age.
  • Geometric mean total daily intakes (mg) were: Al 1.12, Ca 446, Cu 0.6, Fe 4.5, Pb 0.020, Zn 2.8.
  • Elemental intake varied significantly across milk types; for instance, formula milk provided higher Al, Ca, Fe, and Zn compared to breast milk.
  • Aluminum levels in soya-based infant formulae were comparable to those in cow's milk-based formulae.

Conclusions:

  • Infant elemental dietary intake undergoes significant changes with age and dietary diversification.
  • Monitoring lead and iron intake is crucial as it declines with increasing age and solid food consumption.
  • Variations in elemental composition among different milk sources highlight the importance of infant feeding choices.
  • Aluminum levels in common infant formulae warrant attention, with soya-based options showing similar concentrations to cow's milk-based ones.

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