This systematic review indicates that iron supplementation increases  Hb levels in children significantly but modestly .
The increase is greater in subjects who are anaemic at the start of the trial and lower in malarial hyperendemic areas and in those consuming iron-fortified food .
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of iron supplementation on  haemoglobin ( Hb ) in children through a systematic review of r and omised controlled trials .
Chronic iron intake and diarrhoeal disease in infants. A field study in a less-developed country.
The effect of chronic iron intake on diarrhoeal disease was evaluated in children in a community of low socio-economic stratum in Santiago , Chile . Children were incorporated into each of two consecutive cohorts ; each cohort was divided into two groups , one receiving iron-enriched milk ( 12 mg/l ) ( monthly average = 70 children ) and the other a control milk ( 1 mg/l ) ( monthly average = 83 children ) , and each cohort was followed up for 6 months . The incidence of diarrhoea was higher among the iron-supplemented children ( 30.4 vs 25.5 episodes/100 children/month , P < 0.025 ) . This was mainly due to results obtained in infants 3 - 8 months of age during the summer months . Supplemented infants had more bowel movements on day 1 ( P < 0.03 ) and liquid or semi-liquid stools were passed for more than 15 days more frequently ( P < 0.05 ) . While no differences were detected in aetiology , Shigella-associated episodes were less common among iron-supplemented infants ( P < 0.008 ) . Asymptomatic shedding of enteropathogens significantly increased in infants 12 - 18 months of age receiving iron-supplemented milk . In areas with inadequate environmental sanitation , chronic iron supplementation may have negative effects on diarrhoeal morbidity , despite improving iron nutritional status
This systematic review indicates that iron supplementation increases  Hb levels in children significantly but modestly .
The increase is greater in subjects who are anaemic at the start of the trial and lower in malarial hyperendemic areas and in those consuming iron-fortified food .
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of iron supplementation on  haemoglobin ( Hb ) in children through a systematic review of r and omised controlled trials .