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 .
Once weekly is superior to daily iron supplementation on height gain but not on hematological improvement among schoolchildren in Thailand.
Intermittent iron supplementation has been suggested as a replacement for daily iron supplements for reducing anemia in developing countries . The effects of once weekly and daily iron supplementation on hemoglobin ( Hb ) , serum ferritin ( SF ) , prevalence of anemia , weight and height are compared in this study . Primary schoolchildren ( n = 397 ) from two selected schools in the Hat Yai rural area , southern Thail and , were recruited in 1999 . All children received Albendazole and then r and omly received ferrous sulfate ( 300 mg/tablet ) either daily or weekly , or a placebo for 16 wk . The average increase in Hb was not significantly different between the daily ( mean + /- SD ; 6.5 + /- 6.0 g/L ) and weekly ( 5.7 + /- 6.3 g/L ) groups . However , the average increase in SF was greater ( P < 0.01 ) in the daily ( mean + /- SD ; 39.8 + /- 30.3 microg/L ) than the weekly ( 13.4 + /- 17.3 microg/L ) group . All cases of iron deficiency anemia were abolished in both daily and weekly groups , whereas no reduction in prevalence occurred in the placebo group . Height gain was greater in children who received weekly ( mean + /- SD ; 2.6 + /- 0.9 cm ) than in those who received daily iron ( mean + /- SD ; 2.3 + /- 0.8 cm ) , ( P < 0.01 ) . Weight gain , weight-for-age and height-for-age were not significantly different among the intervention groups . It is concluded that a weekly iron dose is more effective than a daily dose in height gain but not in hematological improvement over 16 wk of supplementation
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 .