Iron Depletion Is Associated With Daytime Bottle-feeding in the Second and Third Years of Life

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Abstract
Objective To measure the association between daytime bottle-feeding and iron depletion in young children. Design Cross-sectional design with concurrent measurement of exposure and outcome. The exposure was the current container (bottle or cup) used for daytime milk consumption. Child, maternal, and dietary variables were collected. Setting Community-based pediatric practice serving a diverse population in an urban Canadian city. Participants One hundred fifty healthy children, aged 12 to 38 months, attending a well-child care visit. Main Outcome Measure Iron depletion (serum ferritin level, P<.001). Conclusions In the second and third years of life, there is an almost 2-fold association between iron depletion and daytime bottle-feeding compared with cup feeding. The child's age may be a modifier, and milk volume consumed may be a mediator, of this association. Duration of bottle use is a potentially modifiable practice.