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A common developmental hazard can be avoided by changing a child's diet, says Jackie Cosh British children have been found to be among the most iron-deficient in Europe. A ten-year study in Bradford noting children's iron levels at routine developmental checks found that up to one-third of babies aged seven months were anaemic. Another study found that more than half of inner-city pre-school children were anaemic, almost as high a rate as in some developing countries.

British children have been found to be among the most iron-deficient in Europe. A ten-year study in Bradford noting children's iron levels at routine developmental checks found that up to one-third of babies aged seven months were anaemic. Another study found that more than half of inner-city pre-school children were anaemic, almost as high a rate as in some developing countries.

Anaemia is a condition in which the level of haemoglobin in the blood is below the normal range. Haemoglobin is the part of the red blood cells that contains iron and carries oxygen around the body. The normal level for children from one year old to puberty is 11 grams per decilitre or above.

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