Iron deficiency and educational achievement in Thailand

American Journal of Clinical NutritionPublished 1 September 1989

Ernesto Pollitt, Phongjan Hathiral, Nittaya J Kotchabhakdi, Lavon Missell, Aree Valyasevi

DOI10.1093/ajcn/50.3.687

Source URL

Citations207

SJR quartileQ1

SJR score2.11

SNIP1.75

TL;DR

There is evidence of a positive association between iron status and IQ and a language school achievement test but there is no support for the internal validity of the hypothesis that this association is causal.

Abstract

This double-blind clinical trial was conducted in Thailand to assess the impact of iron treatment on the IQ and educational attainment of 1358 9-11-y-old children. The children were classified into one of three groups: iron replete, iron depleted, and iron-deficient anemic. The Raven Progressive Matrices was used to measure IQ. A Thai language and a math test were administered to assess school attainment. A 50-mg/d tablet of ferrous sulphate was given for 2 wk and a 100 mg/d tablet, for 14 wk. An anthelminthic drug was given on the day of the blood test before treatment and 3 mo after the intervention started. There is evidence of a positive association between iron status and IQ and a language school achievement test but there is no support for the internal validity of the hypothesis that this association is causal.

Keywords

Medicine

New England Journal of MedicineA Clinical Evaluation of Serum Ferritin as an Index of Iron Stores

957 Citations1974David A. Lipschitz, James D. Cook +1 more

Measurements of serum ferritin were correlated with other hematologic laboratory indexes in 250 hospitalized subjects with anemia or disorders in iron metabolism.

PEDIATRICSIron Deficiency Anemia and Iron Therapy Effects on Infant Developmental Test Performance

468 Citations1987Betsy Lozoff, Gary M. Brittenham +8 more

Persistent lower scores suggest either that iron therapy adequate for correcting anemia is insufficient to reverse behavioral and developmental disturbances in many infants or that certain ill effects are long-lasting, depending on the timing, severity, or chronicity of iron deficiency anemia in infancy.

Archives of Disease in ChildhoodTreatment with iron increases weight gain and psychomotor development.

364 Citations1986M A Aukett, Y A Parks +2 more

While iron deficiency anaemia is unlikely to be the only factor in the slower development of children living in underprivileged circumstances, it can at least be easily identified and treated.

View PDF

PEDIATRICSEffect of Iron Therapy on Behavior Performance in Nonanemic, Iron-Deficient Infants

308 Citations1983Frank A. Oski, Alice Sterling Honig +2 more

It is concluded that iron deficiency, even in the absence of anemia, results in biochemical alterations that impair behavior in infants.

American Journal of Clinical NutritionIron deficiency anemia and educational achievement

272 Citations1985Ag Soemantri, Ernesto Pollitt +1 more

Findings from the present study indicate that iron supplementation among iron-deficient anemic children benefits learning processes as measured by the school achievement test scores.

The Journal of PediatricsEffect of mild iron deficiency on infant mentaldevelopment scores

228 Citations1983Tomás Walter, Juana Kovalskys +1 more

It is suggested that mild iron deficiency has an effect on infant behavior that is rapidly reversible with iron therapy, and the rise in Mental Development Index was associated with improvement in attention span and cooperativeness.

British Journal of HaematologyRecommendations for Measurement of Serum Iron in Human Blood*

205 Citations1978International Committee for Standardization in Haematology

The following method has been approved by the International Committee for Standardization in Haematology (ICSH) Board for publication as an ICSH standard (EP7/1978).

View PDF

The Journal of PediatricsThe effects of short-term oral iron therapy on developmental deficits in iron-deficient anemic infants

202 Citations1982Betsy Lozoff, Gary M. Brittenham +3 more

No significant differences were found between anemic and nonanemic groups in birth histories, socioeconomic level, or general nutritional status which might otherwise explain the lower developmental test scores of the anemic babies.

Journal of Molecular BiologyIdentification of the abnormal polypeptide chain of haemoglobin GIb

72 Citations1960D.B. Gammack, E. R. Huehns +2 more

These experiments suggest that Hb-G Ib has abnormal α-chains and that in the hybridization with Hb (J) Tr both HB-A and another doubly abnormal haemoglobin whose net charge is similar to that of H b-A are formed.

The International Encyclopedia of AnthropologyNutritional Anthropology

5 Citations2018Stanley J. Ulijaszek