Children with iron deficiencies score lower on standardized math tests, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Rochester School of Medicine gathered data from more than 5,000 children participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They compared iron deficient children with and without anemia to healthy children. They compared the children's results on standardized tests.
Anemia is a decrease in the number of red blood cells.
Symptoms include fatigue, difficulty breathing, dizziness and insomnia. Researchers found average math scores were lower for children with iron deficiency with and without anemia compared to healthy children. They also found the prevalence of iron deficiency was highest among adolescent girls. Children with iron deficiency had more than twice the risk of scoring below average in math than the children with normal iron levels. Researchers say past studies have focused on cognitive performance and children who had iron deficiency anemia.