Are Breastfed Infants Iron Deficient? The Question That Won't Go Away

Though iron is one of the most abundant elements in the earth's environment, iron deficiency is the most common single nutrient deficiency in the world. Given the very low iron content of human milk, there continues to be concern and controversy about the iron needs of the breastfed infant, particularly after 4-6  months of age when human milk alone will not supply the infant's requirement for iron.1,2 In this volume of The Journal, Abrams et al3 report on the potential iron deficiency in US breastfed infants 6-12 months of age, utilizing the database of dietary intakes from the 2016 Feeding Infants and T oddler Study (FITS).
Source: The Journal of Pediatrics - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Editorial Source Type: research