There is research under way to illuminate this question better.
Some years back, researchers measured hemoglobin levels in one year olds in
one town in Norway, comparing immigrant children (mainly Turkish) with
ethnic Norwegian children.  I am sorry I don't have the reference handy but
I believe it was published in the Journal of the Norwegian Medical
Association which does English language abstracts only.  I could also be
mistaken about the source.

The researchers found that the children with the lowest Hb levels and the
poorest iron stores, were the ones who were weaned to formula from the
breast in the early months.  A shorter course of BF was associated with
poorer iron status at one year.

The current recommendations for infant feeding here are exclusive BF for 6
months, and gradual introduction of solids over the next 6, including
iron-fortified cereal, because recent studies show that children's iron
status suffers if they don't start getting it from other sources in
significant amounts by the time they are a year old.  Starting at 6 months
gives children time to get used to solids gradually, is the rationale.  The
recommendations also include a teaspoon of cod liver oil daily from 6-8
weeks and throughout life.  No other dietary supplements are routinely
recommended.

I don't have a package of formula handy (oddly enough, must be fresh out!
what WILL I give my 15 y/o for breakfast?) so can't recall how much iron
fortification, if any, there is in the brands sold here.  I am also not sure
whether the mothers were using commercial formula or mixing their own from
cow's milk, which is definitely not iron fortified in Norway.
Rachel Myr
Norway

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