Sensitivity analyses and meta-regression for hemoglobin suggested a higher response with lower trial quality ( suboptimal allocation concealment and blinding ) , use of condiments , and sodium iron edetate and a lower response when adults were included .
Consumption of iron-fortified foods results in an improvement in hemoglobin , serum ferritin , and iron nutriture and a reduced risk of remaining anemic and iron deficient
BACKGROUND The utility of iron fortification of food to improve iron deficiency , anemia , and biological outcomes is not proven unequivocally .
Iron Fortification Reduces Blood Lead Levels in Children in Bangalore, India
OBJECTIVE . Chronic lead poisoning and iron deficiency are concentrated in urban children from lower socioeconomic strata , and both impair neurocognitive development . Our study objective was to determine if iron fortification reduces blood lead levels in urban , lead-exposed , iron-deficient children in Bangalore , India . DESIGN , SETTING , AND PARTICIPANTS . A r and omized , double-blind , controlled school-based feeding trial was done in 5- to 13-year-old iron-deficient children ( n = 186 ) . At baseline , a high prevalence of lead poisoning was found in the younger children . Subsequently , all 5- to 9-year-old children participating in the trial ( n = 134 ) were followed to determine if iron fortification would affect their blood lead levels . INTERVENTION . Children were dewormed and fed 6 days/week for 16 weeks either an iron-fortified rice meal ( ∼15 mg of iron per day as ferric pyrophosphate ) or an identical control meal without added iron . Feeding was directly supervised and compliance monitored . OUTCOME MEASURES . Hemoglobin , serum ferritin , C-reactive protein , transferrin receptor , zinc protoporphyrin , and blood lead concentrations were measured . RESULTS . The prevalence of iron deficiency was significantly reduced in the iron group ( from 70 % to 28 % ) compared with the control group ( 76 % to 55 % ) . There was a significant decrease in median blood lead concentration in the iron group compared with the control group . The prevalence of blood lead levels ≥10 μg/dL was significantly reduced in the iron group ( from 65 % to 29 % ) compared with the control group ( 68 % to 55 % ) . CONCLUSIONS . Our findings suggest providing iron in a fortified food to lead-exposed children may reduce chronic lead intoxication . Iron fortification may be an effective and sustainable strategy to accompany environmental lead abatement
Sensitivity analyses and meta-regression for hemoglobin suggested a higher response with lower trial quality ( suboptimal allocation concealment and blinding ) , use of condiments , and sodium iron edetate and a lower response when adults were included .
Consumption of iron-fortified foods results in an improvement in hemoglobin , serum ferritin , and iron nutriture and a reduced risk of remaining anemic and iron deficient
BACKGROUND The utility of iron fortification of food to improve iron deficiency , anemia , and biological outcomes is not proven unequivocally .