Associations Between Iron Intake and Behavior Problems in Early Adolescence

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Orihuela, Catheryn A.^; | Evans, Retta | Mrug, Sylvie | Kelly, Destiny

Affiliations: University of Alabama at Birmingham

Correspondence: [] Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Catheryn A. Orihuela, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA. E-mail: catheryn@uab.edu

Abstract: Due to a decline in diet quality during adolescence, youth are less likely to consume adequate nutrient dense foods to meet recommended requirements. Iron intake in particular is crucial for healthy physical and brain development in adolescence, but few studies have examined the role of iron intake in adolescents’ behavior problems. The current study examined the associations between iron intake and two types of behavior problems in early adolescents – aggression and rule breaking. The sample included 272 middle school students (Mage =12.08; 53% female; 47% Black, 37% White, 9% Hispanic, 6% other racial/ethnic group). Multivariate regression analyses adjusting for sociodemographic covariates revealed that higher iron intake was linked to lower aggressive behaviors (β = - .16, p < .05), but was not associated with rule breaking. These findings support the role of iron intake in healthy behavioral development in adolescence.

Keywords: Adolescence, nutrition, behavior problems, iron intake

DOI: 10.3233/DEV-240359

Journal: International Journal of Developmental Science, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-7, 2024