Iron supplementation is positively associated with increased serum ferritin levels in 9-month-old Danish infants.

Fe deficiency is still common in infancy, even in affluent societies, and has prompted Fe fortification of food products and use of Fe supplements in many populations. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that Fe status among 9-month-old infants following the Danish Fe supplementation recommendation (>400 ml Fe-fortified formula or 8 mg Fe/d) is associated with more favourable levels of Fe status indicators compared to those not following the recommendation. A random sample of 9-month-old infants living in Copenhagen was established and 312 healthy term infants were examined at 9·1 (sd 0·3) months of age. Blood samples were available from 278 infants. Overall, twenty infants (7·8 %) had Fe deficiency (serum ferritin < 12 µg/l) and < 1 % had Fe deficiency anaemia (serum ferritin < 12 µg/l and Hb < 100 g/l). Serum ferritin was positively associated with birth weight (P < 0·001), intake of fortified formula and follow-on formula (P = 0·001), and female sex (P < 0·001). Cow's milk intake and length of exclusive breast-feeding were negatively associated with Hb levels (P = 0·013 and P < 0·001). Serum ferritin levels were significantly higher (P < 0·0001) and transferrin receptor (TfR) was significantly lower (P = 0·003) among infants (n 188) meeting the Fe supplementation recommendation compared to those (n 67) not meeting the recommendation. No significant difference between these two groups was found for Hb. In conclusion, this study confirmed that Fe status of infants following the Danish Fe supplementation recommendation was significantly associated with increased serum ferritin and decreased levels of TfR indicating more favourable Fe status, compared to infants not following the recommendation.

Dietary habits of partly breast-fed and completely weaned infants at 9 months of age.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether there are differences in diet diversity between children still being partly breast-fed at 9 months and those completely weaned at the same age. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Cross-sectional study (SKOT cohort) in the area of Copenhagen, Denmark. SUBJECTS: Healthy term infants (n 312) at 9 months of age (mean 9·1 (SD 0·3) months). RESULTS: The infants partly breast-fed (n 168) at 9 months had significantly lower body weight (P < 0·0001), were significantly shorter (P = 0·0022) and were introduced to complementary foods significantly later (P < 0·0001) than completely weaned infants (n 141) of similar age. Furthermore, they had lower intake of energy, both in absolute amount (P < 0·0001) and per kilogram of body weight (P = 0·049). Significantly lower intakes of most energy-yielding nutrients, in absolute amounts and as energy percentages, were seen for the partly breast-fed compared with the completely weaned infants. These differences appear to be caused primarily by differences in the type and amount of milk consumed, as the energy derived from sources other than milk was similar except for fatty spread and vegetables as a side dish. Only small differences were found for absolute intakes of foods between feeding groups, although fatty spread had significantly higher intake rates and consumption (P = 0·031) among partly breast-fed compared with completely weaned infants. CONCLUSIONS: At 9 months the infants partly breast-fed did not eat a less diversified diet compared with those completely weaned at the same age. Despite later introduction to complementary foods compared with the completely weaned, their intake of foods was similar and no delay in their progression towards the family foods was noted.