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January 14, 2026
Increasing red meat prevents iron depletion in toddlers
Nonanemic iron deficiency is common in toddlers in developed countries according to researchers studying food-based strategies to improve their iron status. Their research indicates that increasing the amount of red meat a toddler eats can stop their iron levels from dropping during the second year of life. Findings from their randomized controlled trial conducted with 12-24 month old children are reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Participants in the red meat group were encouraged to consume 2 or more portions of the study red meat dishes each day. A variety of dishes made with beef, lamb or liver provided about 56 grams of red meat, delivering about 2.6 mg of iron each day. Dietary iron intakes were 20% higher in the red meat group than in the control group after 18 weeks. At 20 weeks, serum ferritin levels were 29% greater in the red meat group than in the control group. The control group actually experienced a drop in serum ferritin levels. This is consistent with what typically occurs in the second year of life when toddlers are fed non-fortified cow�s milk.
For Your Practice
The risk of iron deficiency increases after 12 months of age when toddlers transition off breast milk and/or iron-fortified formula and do not consume enough iron-rich foods. Iron requirements often exceed iron intakes in the second year of life, resulting in iron deficiency which may lead to anemia. Iron deficiency can have serious consequences, including delayed brain development, impaired cognitive function and behavioural problems. Increasing the amount of red meat a toddler eats is a simple and effective strategy to prevent their iron levels from dropping.
Want to Learn More?
Read the abstract Food-based strategies improve iron status in toddlers: a randomized controlled trial by Szymlek-Gay EA et al. Am J Clin Nutr 2009; 90: 1541-51.
See our pamphlet on Iron and Infants in for your clients.
Listen to the latest Nutricast™ on The Irony of Dietary Iron presented by Marcia Cooper, PhD, Health Canada.
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