| Summary: | Children are vulnerable to iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) due to rapid tissue expansion. Recent Canadian surveys reported that 1–3 y and 4–8 y in Québec had an iron intake of 10.1 mg and 13.7 mg/day respectively; however, iron status was not assessed. This study examined the prevalence of ID and IDA and iron intake in children (n=523) from randomly selected daycares in Montréal. Ferritin was measured using an autoanalyzer (Liason®, DiaSorin) and hemoglobin using a radiometer (ABL80 FLEX Radiometer Medical A/S) in capillary samples. Iron intake over 24 h for 469 children with 72 having a repeat assessment was analyzed using Nutritionist Pro™ (Axxya Systems LLC.) and the Canadian Nutrient File. The data was adjusted for day‐to‐day variation, and all children met the EAR (3 mg/day for 1–3 y, 4 mg/day for 4–5 y olds). Mean daily intake for these age groups was 10.22±5.70 mg (n=272) and 11.06±5.32 mg (n=197), respectively, was similar to national data. ID (ferritin <12 μg/L) was present in 13.4% of children and IDA (hemoglobin <110 g/L) in 2.9% of this population. Corresponding means were 22±13 μg/L and 126±19 g/L. This data complements our recent cross‐sectional study reporting ID in 18.0% and IDA in 5.4% in 3–5 y Inuit children; confirming that urban dwelling preschoolers in a large Canadian city have a lower prevalence of ID and IDA. Supported by the Beef Information Centre.
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