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Cited by 59Iron Metabolism and DisordersAttention Deficit Hyperactivity DisorderChild Nutrition and Water Access

Iron deficiency in infancy and neurocognitive and educational outcomes in young adulthood.

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East, Patricia, Doom, Jenalee R., Blanco, Estela, Burrows, Raquel, Lozoff, Betsy, Gahagan, Sheila·2021·Developmental Psychology
DOI 10.1037/dev0001030PMC PMC8386013
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Abstract

This study examines the extent to which iron deficiency in infancy contributes to adverse neurocognitive and educational outcomes in young adulthood directly and indirectly, through its influence on verbal cognition and attention problems in childhood. Young adults (N = 1,000, M age = 21.3 years, 52% female; of Spanish or indigenous descent) from working-class families in Santiago, Chile, completed instruments assessing memory, processing speed, mental flexibility, and educational attainment. Iron status was assessed at ages 6, 12, and 18 months, and verbal intelligence, inattention, and sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) symptoms were assessed at age 10. Results indicated that young adults who had iron-deficiency in infancy had poor executive control at age 21. Severity of iron deficiency during infancy was associated with lower verbal IQ and more frequent inattention and SCT symptoms in childhood, and with lower educational attainment in young adulthood through its effect on inattention. No additional indirect effects were found. Interventions directed toward improving cognitive and attention deficits linked to early-life iron deficiency appear warranted and could alter the course to adult functioning. Further research on the impact of such interventions would be helpful. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

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  • Iron deficiency may present with pallor, fatigue, weakness, reduced attention span, koilonychia, and glossitis.

    “Clinically, it may present with pallor, fatigue, weakness, reduced attention span, koilonychia (spoonshaped nails), and glossitis [34].”

    From The Seven Methods for the Evaluation of Nutritional Status—ABCDEFG: Narrative Review (2026) · cites this paper as [34]

    The Results (Modeling Results; page unavailable) associate more severe infant iron deficiency with inattention at age 10, supporting the reduced-attention part of the claim. The paper does not describe pallor, fatigue, weakness, koilonychia, or glossitis as clinical presentations of iron deficiency. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
East, P., Doom, J. R., Blanco, E., Burrows, R., Lozoff, B., & Gahagan, S.
Affiliations
  • University of California San Diego (US)
  • University of Denver (US)
  • University of Chile (CL)
  • University of Michigan (US)
ORCID
Venue
Developmental Psychology
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2021-06
Volume
57
Issue
6
Pages
962-975
ISSN
  • 0012-1649 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-0599
DOI
10.1037/dev0001030
PMC
PMC8386013
OpenAlex
W3195471029
Cited by
59
References
11
Citations by year
2026: 15 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 2
FWCI
4.57
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Developmental Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (K01HL143159, R01HL088530)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R03HD097295, R01HD033487)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Hematology › Iron Metabolism and Disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Child Nutrition and Water Access
Keywords
infant iron deficiency, neuropsychological outcomes, educational attainment, executive function, verbal intelligence, inattention, sluggish cognitive tempo, attention deficits, working-class families, cognitive development
MeSH terms
Adult, Child, Cognition, Educational Status, Female, Humans, Infant, Intelligence, Male, Anemia, Iron-Deficiency, Young Adult, Executive Function

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