Anaemia in toddlers tied to absence of cow's milk formula and zinc deficiency: Study

A study was conducted by a group of researchers from Indonesia to explore dietary determinants as risk factors for anaemia in children aged 6–36 months living in a poor urban area of Jakarta.

The researchers performed the study at Kampung Melayu sub-district in Jakarta, Indonesia. Data was collected within two weeks in September–October 2020 from a total of 180 participants. A structured questionnaire for a 24-h recall and a semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) was used to collect the dietary intake data and venous blood was withdrawn to determine the hemoglobin levels. Bivariate chi-square and multiple logistic regression tests were executed to explore the dietary determinant factors for anaemia.

The results of the study are as follows:

• The average hemoglobin concentration was 11.4 ± 1.7 mg/dL; the anaemia prevalence was 29.4%.
• The following variables were significantly associated with a higher risk of anaemia: no cow's milk formula consumption, inadequate intake of fats, protein, calcium, vitamin D, iron, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12.
• Only cow's milk formula consumption and zinc intake were revealed as the determinant factors of anaemia.

As the prevalence of anaemia was 29.4% among children aged 6–36 months old. The researchers concluded that anaemia was significantly associated with two dietary determinants as risk factors are cow's milk formula consumption and zinc intake.

Reference:

A study titled, "Dietary Determinants of Anemia in Children Aged 6–36 Months: A Cross-Sectional Study in Indonesia" by Sunardi D et. al published in the Nutrients.

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13072397