this was a question I posted a week or so ago.  I understand that the table
that I wrote from the "Pediatrics Basics" publication, etitled Iron Deficiency
and Anemia didn't print very well.  I'm going to type it a little different in
hopes that  you can read it better.
Iron Absorption by Infants Fed Formula or Milk reference: US Dept. of Health
and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control. Recommendations to prevent
and control iron deficiency in the United States. MMWR 47(RR-3):1-36,1998.

nonfortifed formula's iron content is 1.5-4.8 mg/L  the iron is  ~10 %
bioavailable and the iron absorbed is 0.15-0.48 mg/L
iron-fortified formula's iron content is 10.0 - 12.8mg/L   the iron is ~4%
bioavailable and the iron absorbed is 0.40-0.51
whole cow's milk  iron content is 0.5 mg/L the iron is ~10 % bioavailable and
the iron absorbed is 0.05mg/L
breast milk's  iron content is 0.5mg/L the iron is ~50% bioavailable and the
iron absorbed is 0.25mg/L

The article goes on to say that "Different infant diets are associated with
varying risks for developing iron deficiency.  Infants consuming whole cow's
milk/non-fortified formula have a 30-40% risk, infants exclusively breastfed
have a 20% risk, and those consuming iron-fortifed formulas  have only an 8%
risk.

Do you think that this is the study or article that the Nutrition Committee is
basing their recomendations on?

Camille Foretich, Jackson, Mississippi

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