Drinking Water as Iron Carrier for the Prevention of Iron Deficiency Anemia: The Brazilian Experience

Jose E. Dutra-de-Oliveira, Júlio S. Marchini, Joel Lamounier, Carlos A. N. de Almeida

Department of Internal Medicine, Ribeirao Preto School of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil.
Department of Pediatrics, Medical School Belo Horizonte, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Department of Pediatrics, Ribeir?o Preto School of Medicine, University of Ribeirao Preto, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil.

DOI: 10.4236/jwarp.2013.59086                

Abstract

On a global base, estimated 2 billion people are iron deficient and/or anemic with small children and child bearing age most likely to be the ones affected. These high levels of world anemia prevalence have been maintained and even growing in spite of the global and national food fortification programmes carried out in several places. These have been based on the iron fortification of local foods. In Brazil a wheat flour iron fortification program has been going on for several years and the anemia prevalence has been going on as a still large public health problem. We started since the nineties and in several under five day care centers, in various part of Brazil a new program using drinking water as the iron carrier for the prevention of iron deficiency anemia. It was shown through several studies in different places in Brazil that drinking water being available everywhere, daily consumed by everyone, children, adults and old people have shown to be effective for the prevention of iron anemia. Iron salts are low-priced, water soluble, effective, easily and locally prepared, should be known and accepted as a rational, practical and effective locally community preventive solution for iron anemia, still a great problem of our developing and underdeveloped countries of the world.

Keywords

Iron Anemia; Iron Carrier; Control Anemia; Drinking Water Fortification; Community Studies and Support

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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