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 .
Regular consumption of a complementary food fortified with ascorbic acid and ferrous fumarate or ferric pyrophosphate is as useful as ferrous sulfate in maintaining hemoglobin concentrations >105 g/L in young Bangladeshi children.
BACKGROUND Non-water-soluble iron compounds have been reported to be less well absorbed than ferrous sulfate in young children , and concern has been raised about their usefulness as food fortificants . OBJECTIVE The objective was to evaluate the usefulness of ferrous fumarate and ferric pyrophosphate , compared with ferrous sulfate , in maintaining hemoglobin concentrations > 105 g/L in Bangladeshi children . DESIGN Two hundred thirty-five children aged 7 - 24 mo ( hemoglobin > 105 g/L ) were r and omly assigned in a double-blind study to receive an infant cereal fortified with ferrous fumarate , ferric pyrophosphate , or ferrous sulfate . One serving of cereal ( 9.3 mg Fe ; molar ratio of ascorbic acid to iron of 3:1 ) was consumed per day , 6 d/wk , for 9 mo . Blood sample s were drawn at 4.5 and 9 mo . RESULTS Raw data were reformatted , and a " time to event " was calculated that corresponded to reaching the following thresholds : hemoglobin < 105 g/L , plasma ferritin < 12 microg/L , or plasma C-reactive protein > 10 mg/L at baseline , 4.5 mo , or 9 mo . Data were censored when children did not reach the threshold or were lost to follow-up . A Kaplan-Meier approach was used to compare the 3 groups . No statistically significant differences were observed for hemoglobin < 105 g/L ( P = 0.943 ) , plasma ferritin < 12 microg/L ( P = 0.601 ) , or plasma C-reactive protein > 10 mg/L ( P = 0.508 ) . CONCLUSIONS Contrary to earlier concerns , these results do not indicate differences in usefulness between water-soluble and non-water-soluble iron compounds in maintaining hemoglobin concentrations and preventing iron deficiency . These data will be important in the development of food-fortification strategies to combat anemia and iron deficiency in highly vulnerable population groups
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 .