title: Iron status and developmental scores in 6-year-olds highlights ongoing need to tackle iron deficiency in infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate iron status and developmental scores at 6 years of age in a population with decreased prevalence of iron deficiency in infancy. Iron status at 6 years and tracking from 12 months were also studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children (n = 143) born in Iceland in 2005 were followed up at the age of six. Motor and verbal development was assessed by a parental questionnaire, and iron status was assessed by Hb, MCV and serum ferritin (SF). Iron depletion was defined as SF <15 μg/L and deficiency as MCV <76 fL and SF <15 μg/L.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Iron depletion was observed in 5.6% of 6-year-olds, and 1.4% were iron deficient. Self-help (subset in motor development) differed by -4.14 (95% CI = -7.61, -0.67), between those iron depleted at 12 months (n = 6) and those nondepleted (n = 102), adjusted for maternal education. The combined motor developmental score seemed lower in iron depleted infants, although of borderline significance (p = 0.066). MCV concentration tracked from 12 months to 6 years (r = 0.31, p < 0.002), but Hb and SF did not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improved iron status at 12 months and 6 years has diminished the public health threat associated with iron depletion in the population studied, but iron depletion and development still associate weakly. Action to prevent iron depletion in infancy remains important.
authors.affiliation: Unit for Nutrition Research, Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland & Landspitali - University Hospital of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland. asavalathoris@gmail.com
authors.forename: Asa Vala
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Thorisdottir
authors.forename: Ingibjorg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gunnarsdottir
authors.forename: Gestur I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Palsson
authors.forename: Sigurdur J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Gretarsson
authors.forename: Inga
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Thorsdottir
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution
chemical_list: D007501:Iron
keywords: Childhood; Development; Infancy; Iron depletion; Iron status