The Recommended Nutrient Intakes for Iron

Reference from the joint report of FAO/WHO expert consultation on Human Vitamins and Minerals verbatim.

8. FAO/WHO. 1988. Requirements of vitamin A, iron, folate and vitamin B12. Report of a

Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation.. Rome: FAO. (FAO Food and Nutrition Series No. 23).

12. Dallman, P.R. & Siimes, M. 1979. Percentile curves for hemoglobin and red cell volume in infancy and childhood. J. Pediatr., 94: 26-31.

13. Tanner, J.M., Whitehouse, R.H. & Takaishi, M. 1966. Standards from birth to maturity for height, weight, height velocity, and weight velocity in British children, 1965, Part I. Arch. Dis. Child., 41: 454-471.

14. Tanner, J.M., Whitehouse, R.H. & Takaishi, M. 1966. Standards from birth to maturity for height, weight, height velocity, and weight velocity in British children, 1965, Part II. . Arch Dis. Child., 41: 613-632.

15. Karlberg, P. 1976. The somatic development of children in a Swedish urban community. Acta. Paediatr. Scand. Supplement, 258: 5-147.

16. Hallberg, L. 1966. Menstrual blood loss - a population study. Variation at different ages

and attempts to define normality. Acta. Obstet. Gynecol. Scand., 45: 320-351.

In the weaning period, the iron requirements in relation to energy intake are the highest of the lifespan except for the last trimester of pregnancy, when iron requirements to a large extent have to be covered from the iron stores of the mother (see section on iron and pregnancy). The rapidly growing weaning infant has no iron stores and has to rely on dietary iron. 

It is possible to meet these high requirements if the diet has a consistently high content of meat and foods rich in ascorbic acid. In most developed countries today, infant cereal products are the staple foods for that period of life. Commercial products are regularly fortified with iron and ascorbic acid, and they are usually given together with fruit juices and solid foods containing meat, fish, and vegetables.

11. Rossander-Hulthén, L. & Hallberg L. 1996. Prevalence of iron deficiency in adolescents. In: Hallberg L, Asp N-G, eds. Iron nutrition in health and diseas. p.149-156. London, John Libby& Co.

The fortification of cereal products with iron and ascorbic acid is important in meeting the high dietary needs, especially considering the importance of an optimal iron nutrition during this phase of brain development. Iron requirements are also very high in adolescents, particularly during the period of rapid growth (11).

There is a marked individual variation in growth rate and the requirements may be considerably higher than the calculated mean values given in Table 39. Girls usually have their growth spurt before menarche, but growth is not finished at that time. Their total iron requirements are therefore considerable. In boys during puberty there is a marked increase in haemoglobin mass and concentration, further increasing iron requirements to a level above the average iron requirements in menstruating women (Figure 22). (The calculations in Figure 22 are based on references 8 and 12–16.)