Assessment of Dietary Iron Intake and Sources in Early Childhood in a Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Survey

Jean-Pierre Chouraqui; Raffaele Renella; Dominique Turck

doi:10.1016/j.jand.2023.12.009

Assessment of Dietary Iron Intake and Sources in Early Childhood in a Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Survey

J Acad Nutr Diet. 2023 Dec 22:S2212-2672(23)01764-1. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2023.12.009. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Jean-Pierre Chouraqui¹, Raffaele Renella², Dominique Turck³

Affiliations

¹ Paediatric Division of Nutrition and Gastroenterology, Pediatric Department, Grenoble-Alpes University Hospital, Grenoble, France. Electronic address: Chouraquijp@wanadoo.fr.
² Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Unit, Division of Pediatrics, Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland.
³ Department of Pediatrics, University of Lille, and INSERM U1286, Institute for Translational Research in Inflammation, Lille, France.

PMID: 38142742
DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2023.12.009

Abstract

Background: Iron deficiency has particular importance in early childhood because of its impact on growth and development. Preventive food-based strategies of iron deficiency require knowledge of intakes and sources of iron.

Objective: This study aimed to assess daily iron intakes (DIIs) in 2013, to compare them with the dietary reference values, to assess their evolution since 1981, and to identify iron food sources among nonbreastfed French children younger than 3 years.

Design: This was a nationwide cross-sectional survey conducted in 2013 in France to assess DIIs by means of comparing them with the dietary reference values. Parents' reported diet diaries were collected for 3 nonconsecutive days.

Participants/setting: Of the 1,184 children enrolled in the study, 1,035 nonbreastfed healthy children aged 0.5 to 35 months stratified into 11 age groups were included after informed consent was obtained from parents and according to a weighted quota sampling method.

Main outcome measures: DII from the different food sources and trends in their evolution from 1981 to 2013 was assessed.

Statistical analyses performed: Results are expressed as median with interquartile range and range and mean ± SD. Student t test was used with the 2-sided α level of significance set at 5%.

Results: Mean ± SD DII was 6.7 ± 2.3 mg/d before 6 months, 8.2 ± 2.7 mg/d from 6 months to 1 year, and 7.0 ± 3.2 mg/d from 1 to 3 years. The prevalence of infants older than 7 months with a DII less than the dietary reference values was 52.5%, and that of young children was 30%. After slightly increasing until 2005, DIIs decreased thereafter. Formulas contributed to most of the DIIs up to 2 years of age. Cereals were the second largest contributor to DIIs, and meat accounted for a small part of iron intake.

Conclusions: A substantial number of children between 6 months and 3 years of age were at risk of insufficient iron intake. This risk increased from 2005 to 2013. The role of formula in ensuring iron intake is highlighted. More research on health outcomes of low iron intakes is needed.

Keywords: Evolution of iron intake over 30 years; Infants; Iron deficiency risk; Iron-fortified formula; Young children.