THE IRON-DEFICIENCY PROBLEM
A deficiency of iron in the
diets of young girls and women is a cause of growing concern. Iron deficiency
can produce anemia, and the need for iron is universal. Generally, there is no
problem in men, who require only 10 milligrams (1/3,000 of an ounce) of iron a
day to maintain adequate body stores.
But menstruating and pregnant women
require 18 milligrams a day, and dietary analyses indicate that many adolescent
girls and menstruating women have an iron intake of only 10 milligrams a day.
Some studies reveal iron-deficiency anemia in as many as 60 percent of pregnant
women. The problem centers around the fact, that overall iron content of foods
on the market runs around 10 milligrams for every 2,000 calories.
Thus, unless she is paying particular attention to iron, a
woman consuming 2,000 calories a day will not be getting adequate amounts of
the mineral. The fact is that 50 to 60 percent of iron in the diet comes from
cereals and meats, with nearly equal contributions from each, but the
proportion of cereals and meats consumed by women varies widely.
Whenever weight
is a problem, too, the tendency is to reduce consumption of cereal products.
Most meats provide 2 to 3 milligrams of iron per 3-ounce serving. Dry beans and
nuts provide about 5 milligrams per cup. Most leafy green vegetables contain
from 1 to 4 milligrams per cup.
Egg yolk, whole grain and enriched bread, potatoes, oysters,
dried fruits, and peas are other good sources. There are on the market a number
of prepared breakfast foods fortified with high levels of iron; some provide 8
to 10 milligrams per one-ounce serving. The use of iron-fortified food items
when necessary to achieve adequate iron intake can be an important aid to
health. For some women with high iron requirements-during pregnancy or because
of abnormal menstrual losses-physicians may need to prescribe supplemental iron
preparations.
