Impact on iron status of introducing cow's milk in the second six months of life

• Published in: Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition Vol. 10; no. 4; pp. 462 - 467
• Main Authors: Penrod, J.C. (Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL), Anderson, K, Acosta, P.B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott-Raven Publishers 01.05.1990; Lippincott
• Subjects: ABSORCION; ABSORCION DE SUBSTANCIAS NUTRITIVAS; ABSORPTION; ABSORPTION DE SUBSTANCES NUTRITIVES; ALIMENT POUR NOURRISSON; ALIMENTACION; ALIMENTACION INFANTIL; ALIMENTATION; ALIMENTATION DU NOURRISSON; ALIMENTOS PARA NINOS; ANEMIA; Anemia, Hypochromic - etiology; ANEMIE; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; CARENCE EN OLIGOELEMENT; Cow's milk; DEFICIENCIA DE OLIGOELEMENTOS; DIETA; ENERGIA; ENERGIE; FER; Ferritins - blood; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HIERRO; Humans; Infant; Infant Food; Infants; Iron - blood; Iron - metabolism; Iron status; LAIT; LECHE; Milk; Mother. Fetoplacental unit. Mammary gland. Milk; Nutrition Assessment; Nutritional Status; Pregnancy. Parturition. Lactation; REGIME ALIMENTAIRE; Serum Albumin - metabolism; SOLIDE; SOLIDOS; Transferrin - metabolism; Vertebrates: reproduction; Human; Cow milk; Infant; Iron; Nutritional status; Comparative study; Milk
• DOI: 10.1002/j.1536-4801.1990.tb10030.x
• ISSN: 0277-2116

To determine the impact on iron status of introducing cow's milk (CM) into the diet during the second 6 months of life, nutrient intake was assessed and iron status measured in 100 infants. Nutrient intake for 40 of the 45 infants, age 8 to 13 months, fed CM as the primary beverage for at least 3 months prior to the study and for 45 of 55 infants the same age fed a milk-based infant formula (FF) as the primary beverage for at least 3 months were assessed. All infants in the study were healthy, and the majority were taking no medications or supplements other than vitamins or fluoride for 3 weeks prior to the assessment. Blood drawn by peripheral venipuncture was analyzed by Coulter Counter for complete blood count; plasma albumin, iron, ferritin, transferrin saturation, and total iron-binding capacity were measured in all infants. CM-fed infants had significantly lower mean iron and vitamin C intakes, plasma albumin, transferrin saturation, and ferritin than did FF infants. The frequency of low plasma iron, low transferrin saturation, and low plasma ferritin was significantly greater in CM-fed than in FF infants. The percentage of subjects with three or more abnormal iron indices was more than twice as great in CM-fed infants (58%) as in FF infants (23%). Feeding infants iron-fortified formula to 12 months of age appears to deter iron deficiency