The iron status and diet of Inuit infants' living in northern Quebec who we
re part of a prospective cohort study was described. The prevalence of anem
ia (hemoglobin values >2SD below the reference mean) was 21.1% (23/109), 47
.4% (55/116) and 37.7% (46/122) at 2, 6 and 12 months, respectively. The co
rresponding prevalence of microcytic anemia was 0.0%, 4.3% and 21.3%. At 2,
6 and 12 months, iron-deficiency anemia (serum ferritin < 10 <mu>g/L coupl
ed with anemia) was present in 1.3% (1/79), 24.4% (21/86) and 26.3% (25/95)
of infants, respectively. Compared with breastfeeding, the odds ratio for
iron deficiency (serum ferritin < 10 <mu>g/L) for bottle-feeding with cows'
milk or low iron formula was 3.02 (95% CI 1.25-7.27) at 6 months and 3.05
(95% CI 1.28-7.28) at 12 months. This study shows iron-deficiency anemia to
be a problem in Inuit infants as young as 6 months old. Breastfed infants
were better protected against iron deficiency than infants fed cow's or low
-iron formula.