AUTHOR=Nogueira-de-Almeida Carlos Alberto , Prozorovscaia Daniela , Mosquera Elaine M. Bento , Ued Fábio da Veiga , Campos Vanessa Caroline 

TITLE=Low bioavailability of dietary iron among Brazilian children: Study in a representative sample from the Northeast, Southeast, and South regions

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1122363

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2023.1122363

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Background: despite all efforts, iron deficiency anemia remains a serious public health problem among Brazilian children.
Objective: to evaluate dietary iron intake and dietary practices that interfere with the absorption of this nutrient from three regions of Brazil.
Methods: Brazil Kids Nutrition and Health Study is a cross-sectional dietary intake study in children aged 4–13.9 years old designed to investigate nutrient intakes and gaps of Brazilian children in a representative sample of households from Northeast, Southeast and South regions. Nutrient intake was assessed based on multiple-pass 24-h dietary recall and U.S. National Cancer Institute method was used to estimate usual micronutrients intakes and compliance with Dietary Reference Intakes.
Results: 516 individuals participated in the study (52.3% male). The top 3 most consumed food sources of iron were products of plant origin. Food sources of animal origin contributed with less than 20% of the total iron intake. Consumption of vitamin C was adequate, nevertheless the concomitant intake of food sources of vitamin C with plant food sources of iron was not common. On the other hand, the concomitant intake of plant food sources of iron with food sources of iron chelators (e.g., coffee and teas) was frequent. 
Conclusions: Adequate iron intake was observed in all three regions in Brazil. Children’s diet showed low iron bioavailability and insufficient consumption of food sources of iron absorption stimulants. Frequent presence of iron chelators and inhibitors of iron absorption might help to explain the high prevalence of iron deficiency in the country.