Is iron deficiency in infants and young children common in Scandinavia and is there a need for enforced primary prevention?

• A significant problem in diagnosing infants and young children with iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is that it is not clear how the biochemical markers used correspond to physiological outcomes such as growth, neurodevelopment and morbidity. Thus, the prevalence of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in infants and young children is difficult to assess and therefore not really known. Recent studies have shown that iron metabolism is subjected to developmental changes during infancy, which affect indicators of iron status. Hence, better defined cut-off values for the indicators used are needed and, in particular, how they are correlated to functional outcomes.

Nyckelord

Iron deficiency

infants

young children

Scandinavia

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)