Iron deficiency and impaired child development

doi:10.1136/bmj.323.7326.1377

BMJ 2001;323:1377-1378 ( 15 December )

Editorials

Iron deficiency and impaired child development

The relation may be causal, but it may not be a priority for intervention

Papers p 1389

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Iron deficiency affects 20% to 50% of the world's population, making it the most common nutritional deficiency.¹ In developingcountries about half of all cases of anaemia in women and childrenresult from iron deficiency, but other important and often coexistingcontributors include malaria, hookworm infestation, HIV, and deficienciesin other nutrients such as vitamin A and folates. ² ³ Conversely,anaemia is just one manifestation of iron deficiency, and thereare forms of mild to moderate iron deficiency in which anaemiais absent but tissue function isimpaired.

In children iron deficiency develops slowly and produces few acute symptoms. As the deficiency worsens children become paleand weak, eat less, and tire easily. They gain weight poorly,have frequent respiratory and intestinal infections, and may developpica. The most worrying association is that between iron deficiencyand impaired development in behaviour, cognition, and psychomotorskills. Over the past three . . . [Full text of this article]

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BMJ 2001 323: 1389. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]