ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To understand the present status of dietary iron intake of infants from 4 to 12 month-old in urban and rural areas of Shunyi District of Beijing, and to provide scientific basis for their supplementary foods. METHODS: Two hundred and sixty-six infants were selected and investigated with a 3-day (72h) dietary record questionary. RESULTS: The average dietary iron intake of 4 - 5 month-old infants has achieved to the Dietary Reference Intakes, and no significant difference was observed between the intakes in urban and rural areas (P > 0.05). The proportion of infants whose dietary iron intake was higher than the Adequate Intakes (AI) of iron was just 19.8% among the studied infants in rural and 36. 9% in urban areas (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference on breastfeeding rates in rural and urban groups (P > 0.05). The main dietary iron sources were from cereals, fruits, eggs, vegetables and meat. CONCLUSION: The dietary iron intake of 6 - 12 month-old infants in Shunyi was significantly insufficient. Encouraging mothers to go on fully breastfeeding for at least 6 months, as well as giving supplementary foods rich in iron at the right time according to the state of infants.
