Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency seen in women of childbearing age, and in infants and children under the ages of three years old. In both groups, a look at the diet can indicate the likelihood of iron deficiency becoming a problem that leads to anemia. Anemia is a condition in which the body does not produce enough hemoglobin to make healthy red blood cells capable of transporting sufficient oxygen to all of the body tissues. Adequate amounts of available iron in the body is essential for proper hemoglobin production.
In infants, nearly 40 to 60% are fed formula that is not iron-fortified, which leaves them at risk of iron deficiency by the age of 9 months. Only 15% of breastfed babies are found to suffer from an iron deficiency at the same age, despite both groups being introduced to iron-fortified infant cereals at age 6 months when …