Significant heterogeneity was evident , and its predictors included greater weight-for-age in supplemented children in malaria hyperendemic regions and greater weight-for-height for children above 5 years of age , but a negative effect on linear growth in developed countries and with supplementation for 6 months or longer .
This review did not document a positive effect of iron supplementation on the physical growth of children .
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of iron supplementation on  physical growth in children through a systematic review of r and omised controlled trials ( RCTs ) .
Ferrous sulfate is more bioavailable among preschoolers than other forms of iron in a milk-based weaning food distributed by PROGRESA, a national program in Mexico.
After 1 y of distributing a milk-based fortified weaning food provided by the Mexican social program PROGRESA , positive effects on physical growth , prevalence of anemia , and several vitamin deficiencies were observed . There was no effect on iron status , which we hypothesized was related to the poor bioavailability of the reduced iron used as a fortificant in PROGRESA . The objective of this study was to compare the iron bioavailability from different iron sources added as fortificants to the weaning food . Children ( n = 54 ) aged 2 - 4 y were r and omly assigned to receive 44 g of the weaning food fortified with ferrous sulfate , ferrous fumarate , or reduced iron + Na(2)EDTA .  Iron absorption was measured using an established double-tracer isotopic methodology . Iron absorption from ferrous sulfate ( 7.9 + /- 9.8 % ) was greater than from either ferrous fumarate ( 2.43 + /- 2.3 % ) or reduced iron + Na(2)EDTA ( 1.4 + /- 1.3 % ) ( P < 0.01 ) . The absorption of log-(58)Fe sulfate given with the iron source correlated with serum ferritin ( s-ferritin ) concentration ( n = 13 , r = 0.63 , P = 0.01 ) and log-(57)Fe absorption ( reference dose ) ( n = 14 , r = -0.52 , P = 0.02 ) . Absorption from ferrous fumarate and reduced iron + Na2EDTA did not correlate with s-ferritin or absorption of (57)Fe . The recommended daily portion of the fortified complementary food provides an average of 0.256 , 0.096 , 0.046 mmol ( 1.44 , 0.54 , and 0.26 mg ) of absorbed iron , if fortified with sulfate , fumarate and reduced iron + Na(2)EDTA , respectively . Ferrous sulfate was more bioavailable than either ferrous fumarate or reduced iron + Na(2)EDTA when added to the milk-based fortified food and more readily met the average daily iron requirements for children 2 - 3 y of age
Significant heterogeneity was evident , and its predictors included greater weight-for-age in supplemented children in malaria hyperendemic regions and greater weight-for-height for children above 5 years of age , but a negative effect on linear growth in developed countries and with supplementation for 6 months or longer .
This review did not document a positive effect of iron supplementation on the physical growth of children .
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of iron supplementation on  physical growth in children through a systematic review of r and omised controlled trials ( RCTs ) .