Archives of Disease in Childhood
Volume 101, Issue 12, 2016, Pages 1130-1136

Iron status of young children from immigrant families (Article)

Saunders N.R. , Parkin P.C. , Birken C.S. , Maguire J.L. , Borkhoff C.M.*
  • a Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada, Division of Pediatric Medicine and the Pediatric Outcomes Research Team (PORT), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
  • b Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada, Division of Pediatric Medicine and the Pediatric Outcomes Research Team (PORT), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada, Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
  • c Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada, Division of Pediatric Medicine and the Pediatric Outcomes Research Team (PORT), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada, Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
  • d Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada, Division of Pediatric Medicine and the Pediatric Outcomes Research Team (PORT), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada, Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada, Applied Health Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada, Department of Pediatrics, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
  • e Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada, Division of Pediatric Medicine and the Pediatric Outcomes Research Team (PORT), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada, Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada, Women's College Research Institute, Women's College Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada

Abstract

Objectives Children from immigrant families may be at risk for iron deficiency (ID) due to differences in pre-migration and post-migration exposures. Our objectives were to determine whether there is an association between family immigrant status and iron stores and to evaluate whether known dietary, environmental or biological determinants of low iron status influence this relationship. Design This was a cross-sectional study of healthy urban preschool children (12-72months) recruited from seven primary care practices in Toronto. Laboratory assessment of serum ferritin and haemoglobin and standardised parent-completed surveys were completed between 2008 and 2013 during routine health maintenance visits. Multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between family immigrant status and serum ferritin, ID (ferritin <14μg/L) and iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) (ferritin <14μg/L and haemoglobin ≤110g/L). Results Of 2614 children included in the analysis, 47.6% had immigrant family status. The median serum ferritin was 30μg/L and 10.4% of all children had ID and 1.9% had IDA. After adjusting for maternal ethnicity and education, age, sex, income quintile, cow's milk intake, breastfeeding duration and bottle use, there were no significant associations between immigrant status and ferritin, ID or IDA. Significant predictors of low iron status included age, sex, cow's milk intake and breastfeeding duration. Conclusions We found no association between family immigrant status and iron status after including clinically important covariates in the models. These data suggest immigrant children may not need enhanced screening for iron status or targeted interventions for iron supplementation. © Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited.

Author Keywords

Race and Health Evidence Based Medicine Paediatric Practice nutrition general paediatrics

Index Keywords

educational status ferritin blood level immigrant lowest income group iron deficiency anemia hemoglobin blood level sex ratio human epidemiology sex difference Asia statistics and numerical data controlled study priority journal Bottle Feeding ethnology Urban Health deficiency milk Breast Feeding Cross-Sectional Studies income cross-sectional study migrant Humans male Emigrants and Immigrants environmental factor preschool child Socioeconomic Factors Infant Child, Preschool female iron deficiency artificial milk observational study socioeconomics Article blood Ontario C reactive protein major clinical study iron blood level ferritin Ferritins age Sex Distribution age distribution iron hemoglobin ethnicity body mass disease association iron storage primary health care Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84985021378&doi=10.1136%2farchdischild-2015-309398&partnerID=40&md5=843225c6027d661750ecc2cb92e4174b
DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2015-309398
ISSN: 00039888
Cited by: 3
Original Language: English