Iron Deficiency in Aboriginal Children in Australia

Running head: IRON DEFICIENCY IN ABORIGINAL CHILDREN IN AUSTRALIA 1
IRON DEFICIENCY IN ABORIGINAL CHILDREN IN AUSTRALIA
Name of Student
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Public Health Nutrition
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IRON DEFICIENCY IN ABORIGINAL CHILDREN IN AUSTRALIA 2
Iron deficiency in aboriginal children in Australia
Inadequate or overexposure of various elements in the body has noticeable impacts on the
general health of a human being. The effect of a component is determined by multiple factors,
including metabolism, absorption, as well as the level of interaction with the psychological
processes of the body. Iron is an essential mineral needed by the body of almost every living
creature for various metabolic activities, for instance, transport of oxygen, deoxyribonucleic acid
(DNA) synthesis as well as electron transport (Baird-Gunning & Bromley 2016). Iron
concentration in the body tissues must be maintained as it can form free radicals and in excess
which is attributed to tissue damage. Iron metabolism disorders are among the most common
diseases of humans and involve a broad spectrum of illnesses that have various clinical
manifestations which range from anemia to excess iron and the possibility of neurodegenerative
diseases. This research paper will discuss iron deficiency in indigenous aboriginal children in
Australia.
In Australia, malnutrition is a significant public health issue which is known to affect at
least 35-43 % of patients in the country. Iron deficiency is one of the micro-nutrition
malnutrition that is evident in Australia (Baird-Gunning & Bromley, 2016). Indigenous
Australians, for instance, the aboriginal have poor health results in comparison to the other
communities. Iron deficiency in infants is considered a significant health challenge, and the most
common form of micro-nutrition deficiency in the world. The worldwide prevalence of anemia
in infants between the ages of 5-60 months is approximated to be 43%, and approximately half
of the condition is due to iron deficiency anemia (Bar-Zeev, Kruske, Barclay, Bar-Zeev &
Kildea, 2013). Iron deficiency anemia is attributed to the cause of childhood morbidity and

IRON DEFICIENCY IN ABORIGINAL CHILDREN IN AUSTRALIA 3
mortality; it is linked to defective brain development and cogitative functions. Iron deficiency
anemia a significant cause of disability in the whole world.
For a long time, Children from remote indigenous families are known to suffer from iron
deficiency when the rates are contrasted to other Australian infants. In a recent report, by The
Early Childhood Nutrition and Anemia Prevention Project, the rate of anemia in the indigenous
communities has increased double from the previously reported (Aquino et al., 2013). Based on
the report, at least 90% of the children in the marginalized communities of Northern Territory,
Western Australia, and Queensland had been anemic at least ones when they were between six
and twenty-four months(Aquino et al., 2013). The report also identified that approximately fifty-
six percent of the infants were anemic at their first hemoglobin between six to nine months.
Based on the data from Queensland, there is an increased rate of iron deficiency anemia during
the pregnancy period among indigenous communities than other women in Australia, which in
the end is attributed to low birth weight babies.
Iron deficiency is evident when iron losses or requirements surpass the absorption and is
often multifactorial. The situation is common in children, mainly when they are undergoing rapid
growth and erythroid expansion, which leads to increased iron needs (Gorczyca, Prescha,
Szeremeta & Jankowski, 2013). Majorly low birth weight and premature infants, preschool kids
as well as in adolescence teenagers are high risks of iron deficiency. Without interventions,
children whose diets do not contain adequate iron may, in the end, develop iron deficiency
anemia(Aquino et al., 2013).. Various major risk factors are attributed to the contraction of iron
deficiency in infants including, prematurity and low birth weight, vegetarian and vegan eating,
exclusive breastfeeding past six months without the introduction of solid foods, gastrointestinal
problems, as well as little or no meat consumption (Tulchinsky, 2010). Untreated iron deficiency

IRON DEFICIENCY IN ABORIGINAL CHILDREN IN AUSTRALIA 4
is the major contributor to iron deficiency anemia. Many incidents of iron deficiency are mild
however if not treated they can contribute to problems such as fast heartbeat, pregnancy
complications, delayed growth in children as well as impact the cognitive development and
behavior of children(Tulchinsky, 2010).
Public health nutrition approach
Iron deficiency, like other nutrition deficiencies of health concern, is majorly attributed to
poverty. Even in developed nations, a considerable number of people are vulnerable. In
preventing iron deficiency, public health nutrition strategies need to be sustainable therefore
should have the input and resources of many sectors either in the public or private programs.
Therefore programs ranging from the health, agriculture, industry, education as well as
communication sectors should be added in the approach (Tulchinsky, 2010). There are essential
elements of any plan to improve nutritional wellbeing but are mainly relevant in the
improvement of iron status.
Food-based approaches
Extensive use of multicomponent interventions that do not include the utilization of
medicinal iron supplementation in the reduction of iron deficiency is more recommended. The
interventions involve the delaying of cord clamping past three minutes, which increase the iron
store at birth. The responses are required to be adopted early and include food-based strategies
and integration of iron deficiency anemia alleviation with another basic prevention program for
instance immunization and micronutrient supplementation for infants (Thompson & Amoroso,
2010). The various interventions can be given via local healthcare practitioners, for instance,