Bioavailability of Dietary Iron in Infant and
Adolescent Populations of Timişoara, Romania
Danina M. Muntean1, Corneluta Fira-Mladinescu2, and Ovidiu Fira-Mladinescu1
1 Department of Pathophysiology and
2 Department of Hygiene, Victor Babeş University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timişoara, Romania
Corresponding author: Danina M. Muntean
Str. Shakespeare nr. 20/b
RO-1900 Timişoara, Romania
Telephone: +40-56-220479
Fax number: +40-56-220479
E-mail address: dmuntean@posta.umft.ro
CEJOEM 2002, Vol.8. No.2–3.:147–151
Key words:
dietary iron intake, bioavailability, young people, anaemia
Abstract:
The present study was designed to determine the dietary intake of iron in infant and adolescent
populations and to investigate the role of certain nutrients involved in iron assimilation. The
mean daily iron intake (8.28 mg in children aged 3–12 and 8.26 mg in adolescents aged 12–18),
evaluated by means of food frequency questionnaires and food composition tables, was inferior to
doses recommended for the corresponding ages. Moreover, the major part of iron intake (6.45 mg and
5.34 mg respectively) was of non-haem source, and therefore was likely to be influenced by
activators and inhibitors of FE absorption contained in particularl dishes. The results indicated
low Fe2+/Fe3+ ratio, especially in the children, due to the reduced intake of
meat, fish and meat products containing haem-bound Fe2+. The absorption of non-haem iron
absorption necessitates the presence of some factors of which vitamin C was investigated and found
sufficient in the individuals’ diet. These observations suggest an inappropriate iron dietary
intake which can be one of the factors responsible for the increasing incidence of anaemia in
children of Timişoara, Romania.
Received: 3 July 2002
Accepted: 12 September 2002
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