Formula milk reduces psychomotor decline in infants from inner city areas

Up to one third of infants living in socially deprived conditions in UK inner cities have iron deficiency anaemia. Causes include using weaning solids that are low in iron and using unmodified cows' milk during the first year of life. Over the past 15 years a strong link between iron deficiency anaemia and developmental delay has been found. On p 693 Williams et al report that providing an iron supplemented formula milk to infants between 7 and 18 months of age prevented iron deficiency and reduced the psychomotor decline seen in those randomised to continue on unmodified cows' milk. Their observations are consistent with a causal link between iron deficiency anaemia and developmental delay. They point out that other strategies for preventing iron deficiency and its associated developmental decline are available, but that none offers the effectiveness and simplicity of an iron supplemented formula milk.


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Relevant Article

Iron supplemented formula milk related to reduction in psychomotor decline in infants from inner city areas: randomised study • Commentary: Iron deficiency and developmental deficitthe jury is still out

J Williams, A Wolff, A Daly, A MacDonald, A Aukett, I W Booth, and Stuart Logan
BMJ 1999 318: 693-698. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]