How can iron deficiency affect learning and behavior during childhood?

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rickets, a nutritional disease — nutritional disease Children with rickets. The disease, which most commonly strikes children, causes bone deformities such as bowlegs. Rickets is caused by a lack of vitamin D or calcium.

Iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency globally, and it significantly impacts the well-being of young children. When iron stores are depleted, the body cannot produce sufficient hemoglobin to transport oxygen effectively, leading to iron deficiency anemia.1

During childhood, this deficiency can impair both learning ability and behavior. Furthermore, it negatively affects a child's overall growth and development. Because iron is essential for physiological health, addressing these deficiencies is a critical matter of public health and child welfare. Ensuring adequate iron intake is vital to prevent these developmental setbacks and support a child's cognitive and behavioral health.1