Iron Status, Anemia, and Iron Interventions and Their Associations with Cognitive and Academic Performance in Adolescents: A Systematic Review
In adolescents, iron-deficiency anemia is the leading cause of disability-adjusted life years lost. The World Health Organization recommends delivering iron supplementation through school-based platforms, requiring partnerships with the education sector. This anemia-reduction intervention is valued...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/1/224 |
| _version_ | 1797497969266655232 |
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| author | Kaitlyn L. I. Samson Jordie A. J. Fischer Marion L. Roche |
| author_facet | Kaitlyn L. I. Samson Jordie A. J. Fischer Marion L. Roche |
| author_sort | Kaitlyn L. I. Samson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In adolescents, iron-deficiency anemia is the leading cause of disability-adjusted life years lost. The World Health Organization recommends delivering iron supplementation through school-based platforms, requiring partnerships with the education sector. This anemia-reduction intervention is valued for the perceived benefits of improved learning and school performance. This article aims to systematically review the available evidence on the relationship between iron status and anemia and impacts of iron interventions on cognitive and academic performance in adolescents. Fifty studies were included: <i>n</i> = 26 cross-sectional and <i>n</i> = 24 iron-containing interventions. Our review suggests that iron status and anemia may be associated with academic performance in some contexts and that iron supplementation during adolescence may improve school performance, attention, and concentration. However, nearly all supplementation trials were judged to have moderate or high risk of bias. We did not find evidence suggesting that iron status and anemia influenced or were associated with attention, intelligence, nor memory in adolescents. Further, iron supplementation did not improve memory and recall or intelligence. Overall, more high-quality research is needed to guide programmers and policy makers to understand the relationships between anemia and educational performance and the potential impacts of iron interventions, which effectively reduce anemia, on adolescents’ learning and school performance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:26:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-25b4791241a1414e822674425a3e91d1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:26:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-25b4791241a1414e822674425a3e91d12023-11-23T12:06:06ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432022-01-0114122410.3390/nu14010224Iron Status, Anemia, and Iron Interventions and Their Associations with Cognitive and Academic Performance in Adolescents: A Systematic ReviewKaitlyn L. I. Samson0Jordie A. J. Fischer1Marion L. Roche2Food, Nutrition, and Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, CanadaFood, Nutrition, and Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, CanadaNutrition International, Ottawa, ON K2P 2K3, CanadaIn adolescents, iron-deficiency anemia is the leading cause of disability-adjusted life years lost. The World Health Organization recommends delivering iron supplementation through school-based platforms, requiring partnerships with the education sector. This anemia-reduction intervention is valued for the perceived benefits of improved learning and school performance. This article aims to systematically review the available evidence on the relationship between iron status and anemia and impacts of iron interventions on cognitive and academic performance in adolescents. Fifty studies were included: <i>n</i> = 26 cross-sectional and <i>n</i> = 24 iron-containing interventions. Our review suggests that iron status and anemia may be associated with academic performance in some contexts and that iron supplementation during adolescence may improve school performance, attention, and concentration. However, nearly all supplementation trials were judged to have moderate or high risk of bias. We did not find evidence suggesting that iron status and anemia influenced or were associated with attention, intelligence, nor memory in adolescents. Further, iron supplementation did not improve memory and recall or intelligence. Overall, more high-quality research is needed to guide programmers and policy makers to understand the relationships between anemia and educational performance and the potential impacts of iron interventions, which effectively reduce anemia, on adolescents’ learning and school performance.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/1/224ironanemiacognitive performanceacademic performanceadolescentseducation |
| spellingShingle | Kaitlyn L. I. Samson Jordie A. J. Fischer Marion L. Roche Iron Status, Anemia, and Iron Interventions and Their Associations with Cognitive and Academic Performance in Adolescents: A Systematic Review Nutrients iron anemia cognitive performance academic performance adolescents education |
| title | Iron Status, Anemia, and Iron Interventions and Their Associations with Cognitive and Academic Performance in Adolescents: A Systematic Review |
| title_full | Iron Status, Anemia, and Iron Interventions and Their Associations with Cognitive and Academic Performance in Adolescents: A Systematic Review |
| title_fullStr | Iron Status, Anemia, and Iron Interventions and Their Associations with Cognitive and Academic Performance in Adolescents: A Systematic Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Iron Status, Anemia, and Iron Interventions and Their Associations with Cognitive and Academic Performance in Adolescents: A Systematic Review |
| title_short | Iron Status, Anemia, and Iron Interventions and Their Associations with Cognitive and Academic Performance in Adolescents: A Systematic Review |
| title_sort | iron status anemia and iron interventions and their associations with cognitive and academic performance in adolescents a systematic review |
| topic | iron anemia cognitive performance academic performance adolescents education |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/1/224 |
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