All issues > Volume 41(4); 1998

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1998;41(4):437-443. Published online April 15, 1998.

The Impact of Prolonged Breast Milk Feeding and Large Amount of Whole Cow's Milk Intake on Iron Status in Early Childhood

Pei Tai PT Wang¹, In-sang Is Jeon¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Chunggoo Sungsim Hospital, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence In-sang Is Jeon ,Email: 1

Abstract

Purpose
: The Large amounts of whole cow’s milk intake, just followed by prolonged breast milk feeding may induce a severe deficit of iron. We performed this study to investigate the severity of iron deficiency in these subjects.
Methods
: Seventy-one subjects(12 to 48 months of age) were classified according to history of prolonged breast milk feeding and intake of large amounts of whole cow’s milk. Prolonged breast milk feeding and large amounts cow’s milk intake subjects were assigned as group A(n=15), the large amounts of cow' s milk intake subjects as group B(n=15), the prolonged breast milk feeding subjects as group C(n=24) and the normal control subjects as Group D(n=17). The hematologic and iron status were evaluated and compared between each group.
Results
: Although the mean of group A was lower than the mean of group B and C, the level of hemoglobin of group A was significantly lower than group D(P < 0.01). The level of the ferritin of group A was significantly lower than group B, C(P < 0.05, respectively) and group D(P < 0.01). Of the 15 study subjects of group A, 14(93.3%) had microcytic hypochromic anemia and 7(46.7%) revealed that serum ferritin levels were at 1.0ng/dL, indicating severe deficit of storage iron.
Conclusion
: The intake of large amounts of whole cow’s milk, just followed by prolonged breast milk feeding induced iron deficiency anemia and a severe deficit of storage iron. It is necessary to inform parents to avoid irreversible recognition impairment and behavioral change.

Keywords :Breast milk feeding, Whole cow’s milk, Iron deficient state