Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | NXg | Friday Review | Cinema Plus | Young World | Property Plus | Quest |

Iron out the problem

PHOTO: PAUL NORONHA

BRIMMING WITH ENERGY Children whose diets provide them with adequate amounts of iron are healthy and active

Iron deficiency anaemia hasn’t quite got the attention it warrants but a cursory glance at the statistics about its widespread prevalence could make your blood turn cold. (See box 1)

While children are the worst hit, a sizable percentage of nursing and pregnant mothers and adolescent girls are also affected. Surprisingly, even men are not spared. The irony is that it can be very easily prevented

Iron is one of the key micronutrients that every individual requires. It helps carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. It boosts the immune system and improves physical performance. Anaemia is a condition in which the number of red blood cells is lower than normal. The red blood cells contain haemoglobin, which comprises iron and globin, a protein.

Anaemia is usually measured by a decrease in the amount of haemoglobin. Incidentally, a haemoglobin level that is less than ideal (See Box 3) is indicative of anaemia which could affect the mental and motor development of infants and cause irreversible developmental deficits.

Realising the magnitude of this condition, Anuradha Narasimhan, Category Director, Britannia Industries, which has embarked on a major campaign to create awareness about iron deficiency, said, “We must make people aware of the problem and then educate them about the right diet solutions.” Britannia has, incidentally, launched its iron-fortified biscuits in an attempt to address the problem.

Why aren’t people getting enough iron in their diet? Most children tend to fuss when they are served traditional foods rich in iron such as greens. Dr. Gomathy Shivaji, Coordinator, Centre for Nutrition, Department of Home Science, Women’s Christian College and Consultant Nutritionist, says, “Children are playful and won’t sit down to eat a meal patiently, which is one of the reasons why requirement of iron in their diet is not met.

They often suffer from hook worm infestation and love playing in the mud, both of which could compound the problem. Adolescent girls tend to skip their meals and don’t always eat the right foods and hence, may suffer from iron deficiency (the subsequent stage is anaemia). Besides, some of them have to cope with heavy menstrual periods.

Many in the pre-pregnancy stage are low on iron and are not able to meet their own requirement. During pregnancy, their requirement is higher, as they also have to provide the foetus with iron. As a result, their store of iron gets further depleted. Eventually, supplementation is needed because natural sources are inadequate.”

She adds that the major drawback with women is they do not pay enough attention to their diet. “How many find the time to buy and prepare greens? Green leafy vegetables are a must, not just for their iron content but also because they are rich in other nutrients.”

With changing lifestyles and unhealthy eating habits having caught on, people even in the rural areas tend to snack more and lose out on important nutrients such as iron.

Asked whether it was a good idea to take fortified foods or include the right foods in one’s diet or take supplements when suffering from iron deficiency, Dr. Shivaji says, “Fortified and iron-rich foods are a natural way of consuming iron. Taking a supplement is advised more as a therapeutic measure.

We should create awareness about iron-rich foods and encourage people to consume them. People should be educated about fortified foods because one can be sure of the quantity one consumes. They should also be trained to read labels to determine if they are getting iron from certain foods and if so how much.”

Incidentally, fortified foods such as Britannia’s special biscuits contain 7 mg per 100 gram.

Quoting the findings of a multi-centric study (that she jointly carried out) involving 3,000 children across the county from cities such as Chennai, Baroda and Delhi, Dr. Shivaji says iron deficiency is a great leveller and prevalent even among the high income segment. The incidence is also higher among female children.

When iron deficiency anaemia becomes severe, people experience symptoms such as excessive tiredness, pallor, breathlessness, inability to perform, low productivity, poor concentration and short attention span. All this can be avoided if preventive measures are taken.

The bottom line: With iron deficiency it is better to be safe than sorry and eat the right foods right from the outset, rather than waiting to discover that one is anaemic.

Calcium and iron supplements shouldn’t be taken together Calcium is said to block the body’s ability to absorb iron . So take iron with water or juice not milk .Or wait for an hour before drinking milk after taking iron .

Iron levels are depleted by too much coffee, tea or bran

With high cereal diets the absorption of iron is lower because of the sulphate content

Vitamin C rich foods eaten at the same time help to absorb iron – Guava, lime gooseberries are good examples of Vitamin C rich foods.

Dates, liver, dark green vegetables, greens, chicken , nuts ( such as almonds ) are good sources of iron .

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail