Iron-Rich Complementary Foods: Imperative for All Infants

Elswyk, Mary E. Van; Murray, Robert; McNeill, Shalene H.

doi:10.1093/cdn/nzab117

Cited by 5 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 25 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Nutritional advice that aims to improve iron status should emphasize not only rich sources of iron but also factors that may enhance or inhibit absorption. Strategies to optimize iron status in this vulnerable age group include consuming Vitamin C-rich fruit or drinks and avoiding tea with meals [ 108 ]. The interviewed Lebanese doctors mentioned that they advise Syrian refugee mothers to avoid giving black tea to children, but mothers found it hard to put it into practice due to opposing cultural norms and dietary habits.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anemia among Syrian Refugee Children Aged 6 to 23 Months Living in Greater Beirut, Lebanon, including the Voices of Mothers’ and Local Healthcare Staff: A Mixed-Methods Study

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Globally, the prevalence of anemia among children during the period of complementary feeding is high. A cross-sectional, mixed-methods study was conducted to examine the main determinants of anemia among Syrian refugee children aged 6 to 23 months (n = 215) and to illuminate the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of their mothers and Lebanese healthcare staff on its causes and available treatment options. 42% of the children and 20% of their mothers were anemic. Determinants of child anemia were the mother having anemia or not knowing that fish/seafood is a source of iron; the child having been acutely ill the last two weeks or receiving cow’s milk, but not consuming iron-rich infant formula, added fats/oils, or fruits in the previous 24 hours. Several Syrian mothers knew some causes of anemia and named dizziness as a leading symptom but did not mention flesh foods as a key source of heme iron. They reported financial constraints in accessing iron-rich foods and supplements. Lebanese doctors largely gave appropriate dietary advice and prescribed iron supplements as treatment. Multisectoral interventions are needed that combine medical and financial support with nutrition counseling for mothers to reduce the high burden of anemia among young children living in a multiple crises situation.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anemia among Syrian Refugee Children Aged 6 to 23 Months Living in Greater Beirut, Lebanon, including the Voices of Mothers’ and Local Healthcare Staff: A Mixed-Methods Study

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Additionally, complementary food should follow recommended intake consistent with the child’s age group. For example, recommended intake of iron-rich foods such as meats, poultry, and fortified infant cereals is different for 6–9 months children and 9–12 months old children [ 67 ]. A study in Malawi concludes that despite the availability of crops that make up major components of complementary food, the consumption of complementary food remains low due to cultural traditions and limited awareness of the health benefits of complementary food [ 68 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutritional inequalities among under-five children: a geospatial analysis of hotspots and cold spots in 73 low- and middle-income countries

Amir-ud-Din

Fawad

Naz

et al. 2022

Int J Equity Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Child undernutrition is a severe health problem in the developing world, which affects children’s development in the long term. This study analyses the extent and patterns of under-five child undernutrition using Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) for 73 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods First, we mapped the prevalence of undernutrition in the developing world. Second, using the LISA (a local indicator of spatial association) technique, we analyzed the geographical patterns in undernutrition to highlight the localized hotspots (regions with high undernutrition prevalence surrounded by similar other regions), cold spots (regions with low undernutrition prevalence surrounded by similar other regions), and outliers (regions with high undernutrition surrounded by low undernutrition and vice versa). Third, we used Moran’s I to find global patterns in child undernutrition. Results We find that South Asia has the highest under-five child undernutrition rates. The intra-country nutritional inequalities are highest in Burundi (stunting), Kenya (wasting), and Madagascar (underweight). The local indicator of spatial association (LISA) analysis suggests that South Asia, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and Sub-Saharan Africa are undernutrition hotspots and Europe and Central Asia and Latin America, and the Caribbean are undernutrition cold spots (regions with low undernutrition surrounded by similar other regions). Getis Ord-Gi* estimates generally support LISA analysis. Moran’s I and Geary’s C gave similar results about the global patterns of undernutrition. Geographically weighted regressions suggest that several socioeconomic indicators significantly explain child undernutrition. Conclusions We found a significant within and across country variation in stunting, wasting and underweight rates among the under-five children’s population. The geospatial analysis also suggested that stunting, wasting, and underweight patterns exhibit clear regional patterns, underscoring the need for coordinated interventions at the regional level.

show abstract

“…The most practical and viable method for reducing iron deficiency in under-5 children in SSA is by promoting the consumption of iron-rich foods 12–14. Iron-rich foods are essential dietary sources containing a significant amount of bioavailable iron, a crucial mineral vital for proper bodily functioning and development 15.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These foods hold a pivotal role in preventing iron deficiency, especially among children under 5, and are vital for overall health and well-being 16. Examples of such iron-rich foods encompass a diverse range of options, including red meat (beef, lamb and pork), poultry (chicken and turkey), fish and seafoods (salmon, tuna, sardines, clams and mussels), legumes (lentils, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans and soybeans), tofu, fortified cereals, dark leafy greens like spinach, nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and almonds), dried fruits (raisins, apricots and prunes) and quinoa 14 17 18…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The most practical and viable method for reducing iron deficiency in under-5 children in SSA is by promoting the consumption of iron-rich foods. [12][13][14] Iron-rich foods are essential dietary sources containing a significant amount of bioavailable iron, a crucial mineral vital for proper bodily functioning and development. 15 These foods hold a pivotal role in preventing iron deficiency, especially among children under 5, and are vital for overall health and well-being.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Determinants of iron-rich food deficiency among children under 5 years in sub-Saharan Africa: a comprehensive analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys

Osei Bonsu,

Addo,

Boadi

et al. 2024

BMJ Open

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundIron deficiency is a major public health problem that affects the physical and cognitive development of children under 5 years of age (under-5 children) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, the factors associated with the limited consumption of iron-rich foods in the region are poorly understood.ObjectiveThis study examined the prevalence and determinants of iron-rich food deficiency among under-5 children in 26 SSA countries.DesignThis nationally representative quantitative study employed pooled data from Demographic and Health Surveys conducted between 2010 and 2019.MethodsRepresentative samples comprising 296 850 under-5 children from the various countries were used. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine the associations between the lack of iron-rich food uptake and various sociodemographic factors.ResultThe overall prevalence of iron-rich food deficiency among the children in the entire sample was 56.75%. The prevalence of iron-rich food deficiency varied widely across the 26 countries, ranging from 42.76% in Congo Democratic Republic to 77.50% in Guinea. Maternal education, particularly primary education (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.68) and higher education (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.64), demonstrated a reduced likelihood of iron-rich food deficiency in the sample. Likewise, paternal education, with both primary education (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.75) and higher education (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.60 to 0.73) showed decreased odds of iron-rich food deficiency. Postnatal visits contributed significantly to reducing the odds of iron-rich food deficiency (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.83 to 0.95), along with antenatal visits, which also had a positive impact (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.74 to 0.95). Finally, residents in rural areas showed slightly higher odds of iron-rich food deficiency (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.28).ConclusionBased on the findings, interventions targeting iron-food deficiency in the SSA region should take into strong consideration the key determinants highlighted in this study.

show abstract

Iron-Rich Complementary Foods: Imperative for All Infants

Cited by 5 publications

References 25 publications

Anemia among Syrian Refugee Children Aged 6 to 23 Months Living in Greater Beirut, Lebanon, including the Voices of Mothers’ and Local Healthcare Staff: A Mixed-Methods Study

Anemia among Syrian Refugee Children Aged 6 to 23 Months Living in Greater Beirut, Lebanon, including the Voices of Mothers’ and Local Healthcare Staff: A Mixed-Methods Study

Nutritional inequalities among under-five children: a geospatial analysis of hotspots and cold spots in 73 low- and middle-income countries

Determinants of iron-rich food deficiency among children under 5 years in sub-Saharan Africa: a comprehensive analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About