Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in both developing and developed countries, with an estimated 40 per cent of preschool kids globally affected by anaemia
Research has shown that food fortification, particularly infant cereal fortification, can reduce iron deficiency among infants aged 6+ months, a time at which the natural iron reserves of a child can start to deplete.
Studies across the world, from Australia to Ghana, have revealed that young children are not getting their recommended daily micronutrient intake during the introduction of solid foods into children’s diets from around 6+ months of age.
Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in both developing and developed countries, with an estimated 40 per cent of preschool kids globally affected by anaemia. Iron deficiency anaemia in young children can impair their physical and cognitive development and prevent them from realising their full developmental potential.
These studies offer research insights into the vital role of fortified infant cereal for young children.
The Australian Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study 2021 or ‘OzFITS Trial’ from the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), published as a supplement in Nutrients, concluded that iron-fortified infant cereals can improve iron intake among infants aged 6+ months.
This first-ever nationwide study of children under 2 years of age in Australia discovered that three-quarters (75 per cent) of babies aged 6-12 months and a quarter (25 per cent) of toddlers aged 1-2 years were not getting enough iron daily, putting them at risk for iron deficiency.
A subsequent modelling study published in The Journal of Nutrition end of last year showed that adding one serving of iron-fortified infant cereals daily to current diets (18g providing 6.2 mg of iron) would reduce the prevalence of iron deficiency from 75 to 5 per cent.
The study explains that few infants aged 6-12 months consumed iron-rich foods, such as red meat, poultry, fish and iron-fortified cereals, and those that did, consumed small amounts. It goes on to say that even if higher amounts of iron-rich animal-source foods were given to infants, it is unlikely they would meet iron requirements, given the small amounts of food infants consume. The findings show that iron-fortified infant cereals can be an effective strategy for helping infants meet their iron requirements as they are specially formulated to meet their needs.
In India and Nepal, nearly 70 paediatricians assessed scientific evidence and pan-India and regional data from the WHO, UNICEF, National Family Health Survey 5, and the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022 to understand the challenges of complementary feeding.
They concluded that fortified infant cereals can be used as a preventative and long-term approach for meeting the nutritional needs of infants aged 6-23 months alongside homemade food. This position paper was published in the Journal of Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health last year.