Flour fortification with iron has no impact on anaemia in urban Brazilian children

Abstract

Objective: To verify the impact of flour fortification on anaemia in Brazilian children.

Brazilians’ experiences with iron fortification: evidence of effectiveness for reducing inadequate iron intakes with fortified flour policy

“…The extent of its use is due to the low cost and stability when added in flour. The low bioavailability of this source may explain the findings of Assunção and colleagues (27) who showed that Fe fortification in Brazil had no impact on anaemia in children under 6 years old living in the urban area of the city of Pelotas, southern Brazil. Hurrell et al (8) reviewed the efficacy and effectiveness studies with various Fe-fortified foods and found strong evidence that reduced Fe and other forms of Fe with low bioavailability cannot be efficacious to a have satisfactory impact on Fe status.…”

Tendência temporal e fatores determinantes da anemia em crianças de duas faixas etárias (6-23 e 24-59 meses) no Estado de Pernambuco, Brasil, 1997-2006

“…Sugere-se que o impacto desse programa tenha sido mais favorável às crianças maiores em virtude de uma quantidade mais elevada do consumo desses alimentos enriquecidos 8,9 . Contrapondo-se a essa hipótese, os estudos de Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul 20,21 , não observaram diferença significativa entre os momentos antes e após a fortificação obrigatória das farinhas em crianças de 12 a 24 meses. No entanto, como o Brasil é um país de vasta extensão geográfica e diversidades culturais, econômicas e sociais, a necessidade de outros estudos é inegável para avaliar de fato o efeito da suplementação das farinhas em nível nacional.…”

Effect of the Brazilian iron fortification of wheat and corn flour on the nutritional iron status in adolescents, 6 years after its implementation

“…In a study conducted in Pelotas with children under 6 years old, there was no evidence of the effect of flour fortification on Hb levels, which remained constant, and the prevalence of anemia, contrary to what was expected, increased from 30.2 to 42.6% after 3 years of implementation of fortification [28]. However, Costa et al [29] observed that 2 years after the implementation of fortification, the prevalence of anemia in preschool children attending the Early Childhood Education Centers in the municipality of Sao Paulo was 20.9%; a value significantly lower compared to the anemia rate of 63% in a previous study conducted in the same region.…”