Effect of daily vs twice weekly iron supplementation in Indonesian preschool children with low iron status.

The effect of daily vs twice weekly iron supplementation on iron status was studied in preschool children with low iron status in a randomized double-masked field trial. Subjects (n = 87) were selected on the basis of their hemoglobin concentration being < 111 g/L in finger-prick blood, and were divided into two groups. For 8 wk one group received a daily supplement of 30 mg Fe, while the other group received 30 mg Fe twice per week. A complete data set was obtained from 32 children in the group supplemented daily and from 33 children in the group supplemented twice weekly. Hemoglobin, serum ferritin, and protoporphyrin increased significantly in both groups (P < 0.001). Changes in hemoglobin and protoporphyrin were correlated with initial hemoglobin concentration (P < 0.001). The difference in treatment effect between groups was not significant after correction for the initial hemoglobin concentration. It is concluded that in preschool children with low iron status, twice weekly iron supplementation has an effect on iron status similar to that of daily supplementation.