Additional Iron in Weaning Diets

Hallberg L, Hoppe M, Andersson M, et al: The role of meat to improve the critical iron balance during weaning. Pediatrics 2003;111(4):864-70.

Healthy pregnancy supplies a full-term infant with adequate iron for the first 4 to 6 months of life. After 6 months, the iron requirements are high, however, the common nutritional supplement (breast milk) is low in iron. Weaning diets may supply insufficient bioavailable iron, increasing the risk of iron deficiency and potentially irreversible mental and motor development impairments.

This study measured nonheme and heme iron absorption from iron-enriched gruel and determined that the addition of powdered red meat to weaning gruel markedly increased total iron absorption. To enable radioactive indicator use for more precise iron absorption measurements, adults were used as study participants. Although prolonged breast-feeding is recommended, it may be beneficial to offer higher amounts of iron (red meat) in a single daily meal after 6 months of age.