title: Factors influencing iron nutrition among one-year-old healthy children in Sweden.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe possible social, nutritional and biological factors influencing iron intake and iron status among healthy one-year-old children in southern Sweden.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Iron deficiency is one of the most important nutritional disorders and increases the risk of delayed mental and motor development. Children are at risk because of rapid growth, which entails relatively high requirements of iron.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study using survey methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomly selected one-year-old children (n = 90) and their parents participated. Parents answered a questionnaire enquiring about demographic data and the child's feeding and health during the first year. The child's total food intake and blood samples (haemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, S-ferritin and transferring receptor) were obtained. Results.  Twenty-seven per cent of the children had an iron intake below the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations of 8 mg/day (NNR 2004). Follow-on formula and iron-fortified porridge contributed to 64% of the child's total iron intake. Partial breastfeeding and low maternal education correlated negatively with iron intake from complementary food. In total, 10·3% (n = 9) of the children were found to be iron-depleted (S-ferritin ≤ 12 μg/l), and 2·3% (n = 2) had iron deficiency with or without anaemia (Hb ≤ 100 g/l).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One-year-old children in Sweden may be at risk of developing iron deficiency, but information about iron-rich food can improve iron status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Knowledge about factors influencing children's iron intake and iron status may improve the nutritional advice and education from the Child Health Services to prevent or detect iron deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Society Nursing Science, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden. ann-cathrine.bramhagen@.mah.se
authors.forename: Ann-Cathrine
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Bramhagen
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Svahn
authors.forename: Inger
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hallström
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Axelsson
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: D007501:Iron