Baseline Iron Status of Apparently Healthy Children in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Iron is an essential nutritional element and plays critical role in oxidative metabolism, cellular growth, oxygen transport and storage (1). Iron deficiency is defined as a condition in which there are no mobilizable iron stores and in which signs of a compromised supply of iron to tissues, including the erythron, are noted. The more severe stages of iron deficiency are associated with anaemia (2). Iron status can be considered as a continuum from iron deficiency with anaemia, to iron deficiency with no anaemia, to normal iron status with varying amounts of stored iron and finally to iron overload which can cause organ damage when severe. Iron deficiency is the result of long-term iron imbalance. Iron stores in the form of haemosiderin and ferritin are progressively BASELINE IRON STATUS OF APPARENTLY HEALTHY CHILDREN IN PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA