NUTRITION, IRON INTAKE AND HAEMATOLOGICAL STATUS IN HEALTHY CHILDREN

With a mean daily dietary iron content of 6.3 mg, only 3% of 1,000 apparently healthy children in Sydney had proven iron‐deficiency anaemia and hæmoglobin levels below 10 gm/100 ml. When national groups were compared, only children of Mediterranean parents showed a tendency to both low haemoglobin values and anaemia. Their daily dietary iron intake was low, and averaged 5.8 mg. No positive correlation could be shown between haemoglobin levels below or above 11.0 gm/100 ml, and the iron content of the diet. It is concluded that normal haemoglobin levels do not necessarily exclude iron deficiency. Children from poorer families and aged under 12 months had a diet containing more iron (6.0 ± 4.5) than their wealthier counterparts (5.3 ± 3.9). This difference is solely due to disproportionate intake of iron‐enriched cereals. Nevertheless, no significant difference in the haemoglobin levels of these groups of children were observed. In an earlier work, we have shown evidence linking iron‐deficiency anaemia, usually unsuspected clinically, and childhood morbidity, but no such correlation could be inferred from a study of haemoglobin levels (within the accepted normal range) and iron nutrition. Until such evidence becomes available, additional iron supplementation in any form is not warranted, provided that children attend baby health centres regularly. There is no suggestion that prolonged breast feeding is contributing to the subsequent development of iron‐deficiency anaemia in healthy children.