Who is at risk of developing iron deficiency?
• Infants born either prematurely or at a low birth weight, are born with low iron stores (the storage of iron is usually not completed until the final stages of pregnancy). Premature babies often use up their stores before the introduction of solid foods during the first six months of life. • Infants are born with iron stores that last approximately six months. As babies feeding advances to solid foods, iron rich foods should be introduced (eg. iron-fortified cereal) to prevent the development of iron deficiency. • Cow’s milk is low in iron; as well, the iron in it is poorly absorbed as compared to breast milk or iron-fortified formula. Children who drink a larger quantitiy of cow’s milk in preference to eating solid foods become filled up with low iron-containing fluid and may be less hungry to eat iron-rich foods. • Toddlers between one and four years of age are at risk because of rapid growth and a lack of sufficient iron in their diets unless iron-fortified foods are included. Chi
