A prospective multicenter birth cohort study of iron adaptive homeostasis, growth and development in three Peruvian regions

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Peru is a South American country which in the last two decades has experienced a continuous economic growth and has improved its population wealth. However, in Peru still a large proportion of children are suffering from anaemia due to insufficient iron levels in their blood. That situation generates a great hazard to the future of Peruvian children and their adult health. The roots of this problem are likely to be complex because numerous ecological, biological, social and political factors explain in part the persistence of anaemia. The majority of the government interventions are currently focussed on treatment and not to prevention. However, treating this disease might have side effects, as too much iron, interacting with other nutritional or environmental factors, can also negatively affect growth and development.In this project, we will study the complexity of environmental and nutritional factors that alter the mechanisms of iron balance in a group of Peruvian babies, from birth to their first year of life. Children and their mothers will be studied in 3 cities in Peru located on the coast, the Andes and the Amazon. Various measurements and samples of water, blood, faeces will be made; baby size measurement, interviews, nutritional observation and focus groups with participating mothers will be collected. Some health policies and strategies implemented in the past will also be evaluated.