An overall low injury rate makes soccer a suitable sport for inclusion in programmes that promote physical activity among children. When organizing soccer leagues for boys, injury prevention programmes should be provided to adolescent players when they begin playing in competitive divisions.

Many infant formulas are fortified with iron at 8–14 mg/L whereas breast milk contains about 0.3 mg/L. Another major difference between breast milk and infant formula is its high concentration of lactoferrin, a bioactive iron-binding protein. The aim of the present study was to investigate how reducing the iron content and adding bovine lactoferrin to infant formula affects iron status, health and development. Swedish healthy full-term formula-fed infants (n = 180) were randomized in a double-blind controlled trial. From 6 weeks to 6 months of age, 72 infants received low-iron formula (2 mg/L) fortified with bovine lactoferrin (1.0 g/L) (Lf+), 72 received low-iron formula un-fortified with lactoferrin (Lf−) and 36 received standard formula with 8 mg of iron/L and no lactoferrin fortification as controls (CF). Iron status and prevalence of iron deficiency (ID) were assessed at 4 and 6 months. All iron status indicators were unaffected by lactoferrin. At 4 and 6 months, the geometric means of ferritin for the combined low-iron groups compared to the CF-group were 67.7 vs. 88.7 and 39.5 vs. 50.9 µg/L, respectively (p = 0.054 and p = 0.056). No significant differences were found for other iron status indicators. In the low-iron group only one infant (0.7%) at 4 months and none at 6 months developed ID. Conclusion: Iron fortification of 2 mg/L is an adequate level during the first half of infancy for healthy term infants in a well-nourished population. Adding lactoferrin does not affect iron status.

Objectives: Compared to formula-fed infants, breastfed infants have a lower risk of infections. Two possible reasons for this are the presence of the antiinfective and anti-inflammatory protein lactoferrin and the lower level of iron in breast milk. We explored how adding bovine lactoferrin and reducing the iron concentration in infant formula affect immunology and risk of infections in healthy infants. Methods: In a double-blind controlled trial, term formula-fed (FF) Swedish infants (n ¼ 180) were randomized to receive, from 6 weeks to 6 months of age, a low-iron formula (2 mg/L) with added bovine lactoferrin (1.0 g/L) (Lfþ; n ¼ 72); low-iron formula with no added lactoferrin (LfÀ; n ¼ 72); and standard formula at 8 mg/L iron and no added lactoferrin (control formula [CF]; n ¼ 36). Cytokines, infections, and infection related treatments were assessed until 12 months of age. Results: No adverse effects were observed. There were no apparent effects on transforming growth factor beta (TGF-b)1, TGF-b2, tumor necrosis factor alfa (TNF-a) or interleukin2 (IL-2) at 4, 6, or 12 months, except of higher TGF-b2 at 6 months in the CF group in comparison to the low iron groups combined (P ¼ 0.033). No significant differences in otitis, respiratory infections, gastroenteritis, or other monitored infections and treatments were detected for any of the study feeding groups during the first 6 months and only a few and diverging effects were observed between 6 and 12 months. Conclusions: Adding bovine lactoferrin and reducing iron from 8 to 2 mg/L in infant formula was safe. No clinically relevant effects on cytokines or infection related morbidity were observed in this well-nourished and healthy population.