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Consequences of removing iron fortification of flour on iron status among Danish adults: some longitudinal observations between 1987 and 1994.
Prev Med. 1999 Jul; 29(1):32-6.PM

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Health authorities recommend that populations consume a diet providing sufficient iron, and in order to prevent iron deficiency, a number of countries have fortified certain foods with iron. In Denmark, flour was fortified with iron from 1954 until 1987, at which time the mandatory fortification was stopped. This study examines the effect of iron fortification on iron status by comparing the intake of iron with serum ferritin over time and in relation to the removal of flour fortification.

METHODS

In a cohort of 238 Danish men and women, at baseline ages 35-65 years, dietary intake and serum ferritin were measured, first in 1987/1988 and again in 1993/1994.

RESULTS

In 1987/1988 the fortification may have supplied up to 25% of total iron intake, and without this enrichment some 35% of the men and 73% of the women may have had iron intakes lower than 10 mg/day. Assuming that no flour was enriched, iron intake was constant during the 6-year study period. Despite this, after flour fortification was stopped in 1987, serum ferritin increased among both men and postmenopausal women.

CONCLUSIONS

Considering that mandatory iron fortification of flour affects the entire population, including subjects who are at risk for chronic diseases because of too-high iron stores, the decision to stop the mandatory fortification in Denmark seems to have been well-founded.

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Publisher Full Text

Authors+Show Affiliations

Osler M
Department of Medicine C, Glostrup University Hospital, 2600 Glostrup, Denmark.
Milman N
No affiliation info available
Heitmann BL
No affiliation info available

MeSH

AdultAgedDenmarkFemaleFerritinsFlourFollow-Up StudiesFood IndustryFood, FortifiedHumansIronIron OverloadLinear ModelsMaleMenopauseMiddle AgedMultivariate AnalysisNormal DistributionSampling Studies

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

10419797

Citation

Osler, M, et al. "Consequences of Removing Iron Fortification of Flour On Iron Status Among Danish Adults: some Longitudinal Observations Between 1987 and 1994." Preventive Medicine, vol. 29, no. 1, 1999, pp. 32-6.
Osler M, Milman N, Heitmann BL. Consequences of removing iron fortification of flour on iron status among Danish adults: some longitudinal observations between 1987 and 1994. Prev Med. 1999;29(1):32-6.
Osler, M., Milman, N., & Heitmann, B. L. (1999). Consequences of removing iron fortification of flour on iron status among Danish adults: some longitudinal observations between 1987 and 1994. Preventive Medicine, 29(1), 32-6.
Osler M, Milman N, Heitmann BL. Consequences of Removing Iron Fortification of Flour On Iron Status Among Danish Adults: some Longitudinal Observations Between 1987 and 1994. Prev Med. 1999;29(1):32-6. PubMed PMID: 10419797.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Consequences of removing iron fortification of flour on iron status among Danish adults: some longitudinal observations between 1987 and 1994. AU - Osler,M, AU - Milman,N, AU - Heitmann,B L, PY - 1999/7/27/pubmed PY - 2000/8/18/medline PY - 1999/7/27/entrez SP - 32 EP - 6 JF - Preventive medicine JO - Prev Med VL - 29 IS - 1 N2 - BACKGROUND: Health authorities recommend that populations consume a diet providing sufficient iron, and in order to prevent iron deficiency, a number of countries have fortified certain foods with iron. In Denmark, flour was fortified with iron from 1954 until 1987, at which time the mandatory fortification was stopped. This study examines the effect of iron fortification on iron status by comparing the intake of iron with serum ferritin over time and in relation to the removal of flour fortification. METHODS: In a cohort of 238 Danish men and women, at baseline ages 35-65 years, dietary intake and serum ferritin were measured, first in 1987/1988 and again in 1993/1994. RESULTS: In 1987/1988 the fortification may have supplied up to 25% of total iron intake, and without this enrichment some 35% of the men and 73% of the women may have had iron intakes lower than 10 mg/day. Assuming that no flour was enriched, iron intake was constant during the 6-year study period. Despite this, after flour fortification was stopped in 1987, serum ferritin increased among both men and postmenopausal women. CONCLUSIONS: Considering that mandatory iron fortification of flour affects the entire population, including subjects who are at risk for chronic diseases because of too-high iron stores, the decision to stop the mandatory fortification in Denmark seems to have been well-founded. SN - 0091-7435 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/10419797/Consequences_of_removing_iron_fortification_of_flour_on_iron_status_among_Danish_adults:_some_longitudinal_observations_between_1987_and_1994_ L2 - https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0091-7435(99)90499-1 DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -