title: Iron status in exclusively breast-fed infants.
abstract: The aim of this study is to evaluate the iron nutritional status of infants breast-fed exclusively and for a prolonged period in relation to their growth rate and dietary changes. Forty subjects (25 breast-fed; 15 formula-fed) were studied from 0 to 9 months of age. Milk (human or formula) was the only source of food during the first 6 months. From the sixth month onward mothers were instructed to use iron- and ascorbic acid-rich foods to supplement breast-feeding. At the ninth month, prevalence of anemia was 27.8% in the breast-fed group and 7.1% in the formula-fed group. Storage iron was absent in 27.8% of the breast-fed infants vs none of the formula-fed infants. These findings reinforce the recommendation that breast-fed infants be given supplemental iron from the fourth month of life.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudios Sobre Nutrición Infantil, Hospital Materno-Infantil, Ramón Sardá, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Galindo
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Aspres
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000097:blood; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001835:Body Weight; D001903:Bottle Feeding; D001942:Breast Feeding; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008895:Milk, Human; D009752:Nutritional Status
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D007501:Iron; D001205:Ascorbic Acid