Intake and indicators of iron and zinc status in children consuming diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol: The STRIP baby study

A low-fat diet may predispose children to low meat consumption, low iron intake, and iron deficiency. In the randomized prospective Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project for Babies (STRIP baby study), families of 540 children were counseled to reduce exposure of children > 7 mo of age to known environmental risk factors for coronary heart disease. The control group consisted of 522 children whose families received no specific counseling concerning dietary fat. Iron and zinc intakes of 79 children aged 3-4 y (40 in the intervention group and 39 in the control group) were assessed with 4-d food records. The children in the intervention group consumed less saturated fat than those in the control group and had continuously higher ratios of dietary polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids. Mean (ir SD) daily iron intakes in the intervention and control groups were 8.8 +/- 4.2 mg and 8.6 +/- 2.8 mg, respectively. Laboratory findings in the intervention and control groups, respectively, were as follows: hemoglobin, 123 +/- 8 and 122 +/- 7 g/L; mean cell volume, 81.8 +/- 2.9 and 81.7 +/- 3.2 fL; mean corpuscular hemoglobin, 28.1 +/- 1.3 and 27.8 +/- 1.4 pg; ferritin, 21.8 +/- 11.6 and 19.2 +/- 12.4 mu g/L; transferrin, 2.90 +/- 0.30 and 2.85 +/- 0.29 g/L; and transferrin receptor, 2.34 +/- 0.46 and 2.29 +/- 0.39 mg/L. There were no significant differences between the groups. Daily zinc intakes were 7.5 +/- 1.2 mg in the intervention group and 7.4 +/- 1.3 mg in the control group; respective serum zinc concentrations were 11.2 +/- 1.9 and 10.5 +/- 1.6 mu mol/L (NS). In conclusion, long-term supervised use of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol did not influence intake or serum indicators of iron and zinc in children.