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Incidence of Iron-deficiency Anaemia and Depleted Iron Stores Among Nine-month-old Infants in Vancouver, Canada

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Abstract

The iron status and feeding practices of 434 infants in Vancouver were determined at 39±1 week of age. Iron-deficiency anaemia (haemoglobin ≤101 g/L, or ≤110 g/L with two or three abnormal results from tests of serum ferritin, zinc erythrocyte protoporphyrin and total iron binding capacity) occurred in 7% of infants. Low iron stores (serum ferritin <10 µg/L) occurred in about 24% of infants. Iron-deficiency anaemia was significantly associated (p<0.001) with duration of breastfeeding. The prevalence of iron-deficiency anaemia among infants breastfed for 8 months was 15%. At 39 weeks (9 months) of age, about 5% and 13% of the infants were bottle-fed with cows’ milk or low iron infant formula, respectively, and this was also significantly associated (p<0.02) with low iron stores. Iron-fortified infant cereals had been introduced to 95% of the infants by six months of age. This study shows iron-deficiency anaemia is a problem among a significant number of nine-month-old infants in Canada, and is not explained by failure to introduce iron-fortified infant cereals.

Résumé

On a déterminé les réserves en fer et les habitudes alimentaires de 434 nourrissons de Vancouver âgés de 39 semaines ±1 semaine. L’anémie ferriprive (taux d’hémoglobine < 101 g/L ou 110 g/L accompagné de deux ou de trois résultats anormaux du taux de la ferritine sérique, de la protoporphrine érythrocytaire et du pouvoir sidéropexique) a été constatée chez 7 % des nourrissons. De plus, environ 24 % de la population à l’étude avait de faibles réserves en fer (ferritine sérique < 10 µg/L). Une association significative (p < 0,001) a été observée entre l’anémie ferriprive et l’allaitement maternel. La prévalence de l’anémie fer-riprive chez les nourrissons allaités au sein pour une période 8 mois était de 15 %. À l’âge de 39 semaines (9 mois), environ 5 % et 13 % des nourrissons recevaient du lait de vache et une préparation à faible teneur en fer, respectivement, et on a constaté une corrélation significative (p < 0,02) entre cette alimentation et de faibles réserves en fer. Des céréales enrichies en fer étaient offertes à 95 % des nourrissons à compter de l’âge de six mois. Cette étude permet de constater que l’anémie ferriprive est un problème chez un nombre significatif de nourrissons âgés de neuf mois au Canada, problème que l’on ne peut pas attribuer à l’absence d’utilisation de céréales enrichies en fer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatrics, University of British Columbia, B.C. Research Institute for Child and Family Health, 950 West 28th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada

    Sheila M. Innis PhD, MSc, Carolanne M. Nelson BSc & Dorcas Lwanga BSc

  2. Division of Haematopathology, B.C.’s Children’s Hospital, Vancouver, Canada

    Louis D. Wadsworth MB, FRCPC & Ian A. MacLaren MSc

Authors
  1. Sheila M. Innis PhD, MSc
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  2. Carolanne M. Nelson BSc
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  3. Louis D. Wadsworth MB, FRCPC
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  4. Ian A. MacLaren MSc
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  5. Dorcas Lwanga BSc
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sheila M. Innis PhD, MSc.

Additional information

Supported by a research grant from the B.C. Medical Services Foundation with assistance from the City of Vancouver Public Health Department.

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Innis, S.M., Nelson, C.M., Wadsworth, L.D. et al. Incidence of Iron-deficiency Anaemia and Depleted Iron Stores Among Nine-month-old Infants in Vancouver, Canada. Can J Public Health 88, 80–84 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03403865

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03403865

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