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Abstract

The feeding practices of Chinese and Caucasian infants may place them at risk for IDA and its deleterious consequences. It is currently recommended that dietary assessment is used to screen 'high risk' infants for risk of IDA however, dietary instruments to assess iron nutrition among Caucasian and Chinese infants are not available. The purpose of this study was to develop and assess the utility of dietary instruments for identifying Caucasian and Chinese infants ages 8-26 mths with poor iron status. Letters describing the study were sent to 1585 parents of potentially eligible infants identified through birth lists and 613 of these parents were contacted by telephone. Of these, 148 infants 8-26 mths of age, n=84 Caucasian, n=48 Chinese completed the study. Capillary blood samples were collected and analyzed for hemoglobin (Hgb), serum ferritin and soluble transferrin receptors (sTfR). A 191-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was developed to provide a comprehensive assessment of the dietary intakes and sources of energy, iron and other dietary factors influencing iron absorption. Feeding history and current diet were assessed using a Socio-Cultural and Infant Feeding Questionnaire, a 3- day food record (3d-FR) and the interviewer-administered FFQ. The 3d-FR and FFQ were analyzed for dietary intakes and sources of energy, iron (total, heme and non-heme), vitamin C, calcium and dietary fibre using Food Processor®. The FFQ measures of total and heme iron intakes showed criterion validity compared with sTfRrferritin ratio (r=-0.33 and -0.27, respectively, P