Premium
Effects of a comprehensive intervention to prevent iron deficiency during the first year of life
Author(s) -
Martinez Homero,
Duque Ximena,
Flores Sergio,
Ramos Rosa Isela,
Martinez Gloria,
Unzaga Marco A.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.895.5
Subject(s) - medicine , iron deficiency , ferritin , hemoglobin , anemia , pediatrics , iron deficiency anemia , iron status , iron supplementation , randomized controlled trial , ferrous sulphate , inorganic chemistry , chemistry
We carried out a randomized, controlled clinical trial that included 1,699 healthy, term newborn infants who were recruited in clinical facilities in Mexico. Children were randomly assigned to receive weekly (7 mg/dose) or monthly iron (30 mg/dose) supplementation, with either ferrous sulphate or aminochelate iron. The intervention was delivered during one year, beginning on the first month of life. Mothers received counseling on proper feeding practices. Data were recorded monthly on the child's growth, health, morbidity, and diet. Blood samples to determine iron status were taken at 3, 6, 9 and 12 moths of life. The control group was drawn from a nationally representative sample of children with similar characteristics. Iron deficiency based on ferritin determination (deficiency < 10 ng/ml) and anemia was defined according to hemoglobin values, using age cutoffs. There were no statistically significant differences between any of the four arms of the intervention groups in terms of hemoglobin and ferritin concentrations, or the percent of children under the different categories of iron status, so their results are collapsed into a category of “study children”. The use of a comprehensive strategy to prevent iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia proved effective in the study children, irrespective of the type of iron administered or the frequency of administration.