Effect of using commercial pre-packaged baby foods on the iron intake of 7-8 months old infants

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Celeste Tsz Hei Cheung ◽  
Anna M Rangan ◽  
Iris Mei Ying Tse ◽  
Wai Hung Sit ◽  
Jimmy Chun Yu Louie

Abstract Objectives To examine the potential effect on iron intake of 7-8 month-old infants if pre-packaged baby foods (PBFs) were used as the sole source of complementary foods. Design: Based on the 7-day recommended feeding plan for 7-8-month-old infants in Hong Kong (moderate iron-fortified rice cereal with home-cooked meals), 24 modelling scenarios were created which comprised of two milk use modes (breastmilk vs. infant formula); three modes of rice cereal use (no rice cereal; non-iron-fortified rice cereal; iron-fortified rice cereal); and four baby foods usage modes (home-cooked meals; low-iron PBFs only; high-iron PBFs only; mixed PBFs). The PBFs were randomly selected in each of the models and substituted the original meals/snacks. The average daily iron intakes of the modelled meal plans were compared against the Chinese estimated average requirement (EAR) and recommended nutrient intake (RNI) for iron. Setting: Modelling study. Participants: N/A. Results: In general, the infant-formula-based complementary feeding pattern (CFP) had higher average daily iron intake when compared with breastmilk-based CFP. The iron intake of all scenarios under the breastmilk-based CFP were below the RNI and EAR, except for the fortified rice cereal meal plans with high-iron or mixed PBFs. For infant-formula-based CFP, the iron intakes were close to or above the RNI regardless of types of PBF or rice cereal used. Conclusions: The inclusion of fortified rice cereal was important in maintaining adequate iron intake for infants, especially for breastfed infants. The replacement of home-cooked meals by low-iron PBFs could potentially put infants at risk of iron deficiency.

2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 112
Author(s):  
Roedi Irawan ◽  
Nur Aisiyah Widjaja ◽  
Meta Herdiana Hanindita

After approximately 6 months of age, term breastfed infants are increasingly depend on other sources of iron to avoid iron deficiency anemia, due to the depletion of the low concentration of iron in human milk. The appropriate complementary feeding must include a balance composition of foods containing an adequate amount of macro- and micronutrients to avoid iron deficiency anemia. This study aimed to compare the risk of iron deficiency and growth in breastfeed infants receiving commercial fortified complementary foods or home-made. A cross-sectional study was held on April-June 2016 to evaluate infants aged 6-24 months with breast feeding intake for 6 month of life. Complementary feeding practices were determined by questionnaire; an unquantified food frequency and feeding practices questionnaire was used to determine usual food intake. Biochemical assessment of haemoglobin (Hb), serum ferritin (SF) and serum iron (SI) level were measured. Anthropometric were assessed using WHO Child Growth Standard 2005. Statistical analysis used were Chi-square Test. Thirty eight infants were enrolled, mean age of 16.2 (SD 10.5) months. 17 infants consumed commercial complementary foods and 21 infants use home-made. Infants with home-made had lower Hb level, SF and SI  than those receiving commercial complementary food, and had higher risk of underweight, stunted and wasted. Infants with home-made complementary food had lower haemoglobin, serum feritin and serum iron levels than those in fortified complementary food CF; and a higher risk of stunted and wasted than children with commercial fortified CF.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiao-Ming Chen ◽  
Shu-Ci Mu ◽  
Chun-Kuang Shih ◽  
Yi-Ling Chen ◽  
Li-Yi Tsai ◽  
...  

Iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) typically occur in developing countries. Notably, ID and IDA can affect an infant’s emotion, cognition, and development. Breast milk is considered the best food for infants. However, recent studies have indicated that breastfeeding for more than six months increases the risk of ID. This study investigated the prevalence of ID and IDA, as well as the association between feeding type and iron nutritional status in northern Taiwan. A cross-sectional study was conducted on infants who returned to the well-baby clinic for routine examination from October 2012 to January 2014. Overall, 509 infants aged 1–12 months completed the iron nutritional status analysis, anthropometric measurement, and dietary intake assessment, including milk and complementary foods. The results revealed that 49 (10%) and 21 (4%) infants in their first year of life had ID and IDA, respectively, based on the World Health Organization criteria. Breastfed infants had a higher prevalence rate of ID and IDA than mixed-fed and formula-fed infants (p < 0.001). Regarding biomarkers of iron status, plasma hemoglobin (Hb), ferritin, and transferrin saturation (%) levels were significantly lower in ID and IDA groups. The prevalence of ID and IDA were 3.7% and 2.7%, respectively, in infants under six months of age, but increased to 20.4% and 6.6%, respectively, in infants above six months of age. The healthy group had a higher total iron intake than ID and IDA groups, mainly derived from infant formula. The total dietary iron intake was positively correlated with infants’ Hb levels. Compared with formula-fed infants, the logistic regression revealed that the odds ratio for ID was 2.157 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.369–3.399) and that for IDA was 4.196 (95% CI: 1.780–9.887) among breastfed infants (p < 0.001) after adjusted for all confounding factors (including gestational week, birthweight, sex, body weight percentile, body length percentile, age of infants, mothers’ BMI, gestational weight gain, education level, and hemoglobin level before delivery). In conclusion, our results determined that breastfeeding was associated with an increased the prevalence of ID and/or IDA, especially in infants above six months. This suggests that mothers who prolonged breastfeed after six months could provide high-quality iron-rich foods to reduce the prevalence of ID and IDA.


2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 112
Author(s):  
Roedi Irawan ◽  
Nur Aisiyah Widjaja ◽  
Meta Herdiana Hanindita

After approximately 6 months of age, term breastfed infants are increasingly depend on other sources of iron to avoid iron deficiency anemia, due to the depletion of the low concentration of iron in human milk. The appropriate complementary feeding must include a balance composition of foods containing an adequate amount of macro- and micronutrients to avoid iron deficiency anemia. This study aimed to compare the risk of iron deficiency and growth in breastfeed infants receiving commercial fortified complementary foods or home-made. A cross-sectional study was held on April-June 2016 to evaluate infants aged 6-24 months with breast feeding intake for 6 month of life. Complementary feeding practices were determined by questionnaire; an unquantified food frequency and feeding practices questionnaire was used to determine usual food intake. Biochemical assessment of haemoglobin (Hb), serum ferritin (SF) and serum iron (SI) level were measured. Anthropometric were assessed using WHO Child Growth Standard 2005. Statistical analysis used were Chi-square Test. Thirty eight infants were enrolled, mean age of 16.2 (SD 10.5) months. 17 infants consumed commercial complementary foods and 21 infants use home-made. Infants with home-made had lower Hb level, SF and SI  than those receiving commercial complementary food, and had higher risk of underweight, stunted and wasted. Infants with home-made complementary food had lower haemoglobin, serum feritin and serum iron levels than those in fortified complementary food CF; and a higher risk of stunted and wasted than children with commercial fortified CF.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 4201
Author(s):  
Vito Leonardo Miniello ◽  
Maria Carmen Verga ◽  
Andrea Miniello ◽  
Cristina Di Mauro ◽  
Lucia Diaferio ◽  
...  

The complementary feeding (CF) period that takes place between 6 and 24 months of age is of key importance for nutritional and developmental reasons during the transition from exclusively feeding on milk to family meals. In 2021, a multidisciplinary panel of experts from four Italian scientific pediatric societies elaborated a consensus document on CF, focusing in particular on healthy term infants. The aim was to provide healthcare providers with useful guidelines for clinical practice. Complementary feeding is also the time window when iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are most prevalent. Thus, it is appropriate to address the problem of iron deficiency through nutritional interventions. Adequate iron intake during the first two years is critical since rapid growth in that period increases iron requirements per kilogram more than at any other developmental stage. Complementary foods should be introduced at around six months of age, taking into account infant iron status.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. e046370
Author(s):  
Aamer Imdad ◽  
Julie Melissa Ehrlich ◽  
Joseph Catania ◽  
Emily Tanner-Smith ◽  
Abigail Smith ◽  
...  

IntroductionPrevalence rates of breastfeeding remain low even though the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend exclusive breast feeding for the first 6 months of life in combination with appropriate complementary feeding beyond six 6 months of age. There have been several studies that address the implication of drinking animal milk and/or infant formula on children’s health and development when breast feeding is not offered during the first year of life. Vast improvements have been made in infant formula design, which may increase its benefits compared with animal’s milk. The objective of this review is therefore to synthesise the most recent evidence on the effects of the consumption of animal milk compared with infant formula in non-breastfed or mixed breastfed infants aged 6–11 months.Methods and analysisWe will conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that assessed the effect of animal milk compared with formula or mixed-fed (breastmilk and formula) on infants aged 6–11 months. The primary outcomes of interest include anaemia, gastrointestinal blood loss, weight for age, height for age and weight for height. We will include randomised and non-randomised studies with a control group. We will use the Cochrane risk of bias tools to assess the risk of bias. We will use meta-analysis to pool findings if the identified studies are conceptually homogenous and data are available from more than one study. We will assess the overall quality of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach.Ethics and disseminationThis is a systematic review, so no patients will be directly involved in the design or development of this study. The findings from this systematic review will be disseminated to relevant patient populations and caregivers and will guide the WHO’s recommendations on formula consumption versus animal milk in infants aged 6–11 months.Trial registration numberCRD42020210925.


2007 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1266-1273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Tao ◽  
David L Pelletier ◽  
Dennis D Miller

AbstractObjectiveTo quantify the potential effect of iron defortification in the USA on iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA).MethodsMonte Carlo models were built to simulate iron nutrition in the US population. A hypothetical cohort of 15 000 persons from the general population was used in 15-year simulations to compare the prevalence of IDA with and without fortification.ResultsWith iron fortification, the prevalence of IDA was 2.4% for children aged 3–5 years, 5.4% for women aged 20–49 years, and 0.14% for men aged 20–49 years. The corresponding IDA estimates under iron defortification were 4.5%, 8.2% and 0.46%, respectively. Defortification had little effect on the distribution of iron indicators at or above the 50th percentile within each of these three groups and little effect on the distributions of iron indicators among adult men.ConclusionIron defortification is likely to increase IDA among children and women of reproductive age, but is not likely to have meaningful effects on the iron status of men or the majority of women and children.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1971 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 786-786
Author(s):  
L. J. Filer ◽  
Lewis A. Barness ◽  
Richard B. Goldbloom ◽  
Malcolm A. Holliday ◽  
Robert W. Miller ◽  
...  

In its recent statement on iron,1 the Committee on Nutrition emphasized the value of iron-fortified, proprietary milk formulas for the prevention of iron-deficiency anemia of infancy. Despite this recommendation, the most recent marketing information available to the Committee shows that more than 70% of the proprietary formulas currently prescribed by physicians do not contain added iron. The reasons for continuing routine use of formulas not fortified with iron are not entirely clear. One reason may be that some physicians still believe iron additives increase the incidence of feeding problems or gastrointestinal disturbances. There is no documented evidence that this is a significant problem. The Committee strongly recommends when proprietary formulas are prescribed that iron-supplemented formulas be used routinely as the standard–that is, that this be the rule rather than the exception. There seems to be little justification for continued general use of proprietary formulas not fortified with iron. The Committee is fully aware that only a small percentage of American infants are fed proprietary formulas after 6 months of age. Fluid whole milk (available in bottle or carton ) or evaporated milk, both of which contain only trace amounts of iron, are substituted at the time of greatest iron need and highest prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia. The infant's diet is usually deficient in iron, unless other foods are carefully selected to insure adequate iron intake. Since the major dietary component during infancy is milk, two courses of action should be taken: (1) Pediatricians and other health professionals should engage in a program of public education to convince American mothers to provide their infants with a source of dietary iron.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document