OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate response to daily supplementation with iron bis-glycinate chelate and its impact on linear growth. METHODS: A prospective study was done with 790 children aging from 6 to 36 months who attended daycare in São Paulo from 1999 to 2003. Hemoglobin levels, body weight and height/length were determined at the beginning and end of the study. Liquid iron bis-glycinate chelate was administered in a dosage of 5mg of elemental iron/kg of body weight/day given by the health provider of the daycare facility for a period of 12 weeks. RESULTS: Supplementation resulted in a significant, positive effect on the hemoglobin levels of 85.3% of the children with a mean increase of 1.6g/dL (p<0.001). In children aging from 25 to 36 months and in those with lower hemoglobin levels at the beginning of supplementation, there was a significantly higher increase. No gastrointestinal problem or intolerance to the supplement was observed during the intervention period. Supplementation also had an impact on growth and on the height-for-age indicator (z-score) in children older than 12 months but there was no impact on weight and on the weight-for-height and weight-for-age indicators. CONCLUSION: The results show that iron bis-glycinate chelate is an adequate supplement to treat iron deficiency anemia in young children since it is very well tolerated and promotes growth in children older than 12 months.
Iron chelating agents; Anemia iron deficiency; Growth; Child preschool
