Iron Deficiency in Kids - Staggering New Aussie Data
As a Paediatric Dietitian,
I see many children with low iron in my online clinic. Often its those who live on the "beige diet"... but children who do actually eat meat can surprisingly still have low iron.
Iron is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies in Australian children and plays a huge role in their growth, brain development, energy and appetite.
Sometimes we don't even realise they are low... but here are some symptoms to look out for.
When iron is low, kids can feel tired, pale, sluggish, have dark circles under their eyes, have difficulty getting to sleep, restless legs, pick up every cold going around — and frustratingly, lose their appetite (making the problem even worse).
What the new data tells us
A large Western Australian study - 2025 (The ORIGINS Project) found:
15% of 1-year-olds and nearly 20% of 3-year-olds were clinically iron deficient using World Health Organisation cut-offs.
Over 40% of 1-year-olds and nearly 57% of 3-year-olds had low iron levels. (when a slightly higher clinical threshold was used)
It was interesting to note that even toddlers from well-off families were affected — meaning this issue crosses all demographics Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health 2025.
And according to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, around 90% of infants (6–12 months) and one in four toddlers aged 1–2 years have inadequate iron intake racgp.org.au.
Why gut health and dairy matter
The gut microbiome is deeply linked to nutrient absorption — when balance is off, iron uptake from food drops. In kids with constipation, gut inflammation, or a very restricted diet, iron absorption can be particularly low.
And here’s the big one I see all the time in clinic: dairy.
Too much milk (over ~350 mL per day) can affect iron in two ways:
Displacement – kids fill up on milk / other dairy products and leave little room for iron-rich foods.
Absorption interference – dairy proteins and calcium compete with iron for absorption in the gut.
Many kids love milk, cheese and yoghurt, but too much every day can quietly crowd out the nutrients that matter.
No, it doesn’t have to be red meat
There are plenty of child-friendly iron rich foods:
Iron-fortified breakfast cereals
Edamame, Baked beans, lentils, chickpeas
Eggs
Tofu and tempeh
Fish and seafood (like salmon or tuna)
Pumpkin seeds, cashews and nut pastes
Leafy greens paired with vitamin C (think strawberries, capsicum, kiwi, tomato or mandarins)
When you include vitamin C-rich foods alongside plant-based iron sources, absorption can triple — simple but powerful!
Gut health matters
Gut health matters because iron is absorbed through the gut.
When a child’s gut is inflamed, constipated, or their microbiome is out of balance, their body may not absorb iron as well — even if they are eating some iron-rich foods.
A healthier gut lining and a more diverse microbiome can help the body use nutrients more effectively.
So when we talk about low iron in kids, we also need to look at digestion, constipation, food variety and overall gut health.
I know the worry runs deep.
I literally had a mum tell me yesterday that she stays up at night worrying about her fussy eater being deficient. Despite trying your best, it can feel like nothing’s working — and that heavy sense of guilt creeps in.
If you relate to any of this, please know that there is lots we can do to prevent deficiency, or resolve it - if it is already there.
I help parents fix their child’s deficiency and prevent it from happening again.
The quickest path towards ensuring your child is healthy and your feeling better about your child’s nutrition is with an online consultation. During which we:
Get to the underlying cause of their deficiencies
Correct any deficiency with the best supplements in the right dose for your child
Create a plan to expand their diet using real foods
Maximise gut health for optimal absorption and immune health.
[[Learn More about online consultations!]]
ALSO,
FYI - inside the Nourish with Karina membership we have been diving into:
The best iron supplements for general coverage and also diagnosed deficiency
My detailed Iron-Rich Foods Guide (exclusive to members)
To join the waitlist for my membership [[CLICK HERE ]]