The University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA. Michael.Hambidge@ucdenver.edu
Nutr Rev. 2011 Nov;69 Suppl 1:S57-63
The rationale for promoting the availability of local, affordable, non-fortified food sources of bioavailable iron in developing countries is considered in this review. Intake of iron from the regular consumption of meat from the age of 6 months is evaluated with respect to physiological requirements. Two major randomized controlled trials evaluating meat as a first and regular complementary food are described in this article. These trials are presently in progress in poor communities in Guatemala, Pakistan, Zambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and China.