Iron is a nutrient required for many metabolic processes in the human body. Iron deficiency is the most common and widespread nutritional disorder in the world. As well as affecting a large number of children and women in non-industrialized countries, it is the only nutrient deficiency that is also significantly prevalent in virtually all industrialized nations.

The purpose of this pioneer study was to evaluate dietary intakes of iron in the Spanish population according to age and gender, and to examine the contribution from different food and beverage groups and subgroups as dietary source of this mineral. This is the first representative Spanish study considering plausible and non-plausible reporters for assessing dietary iron intake.

The food and beverage groups with the highest mean contribution to iron dietary intake in both males and females were firstly cereals and grains (27.4 % in males and 26.7 % in females) followed by meat and meat products group (22.7 % in males and 19.8 % in females). In both cases, intakes were significantly higher in the male population. Thirdly, vegetables group accounted for a 10.3 % and 12.4 % of iron intakes in males and females respectively, being significantly higher in females. Together, these three previous food groups contributed to 60 % or more of iron intakes of the ANIBES Study population.

Learn more about the study Iron intake and Dietary Sources in the Spanish Population: Findings from the ANIBES Study