New findings on iron absorption conditioning factors Novos achados sobre os fatores condicionantes da absorção do ferro

The authors focus iron intake regulation in the body and the probable mechanisms related to iron absorption. They analyze the impact of iron absorption deficiency resulting in iron deficiency anemia, a public health issue of great impact in the world influencing child and maternal health risk increase. This paper aims at highlighting the problems affecting the uptake or inhibiting processes of iron absorption in an attempt to correlate information on conditioning factors and current findings. This study is a document based descriptive study comprising literature review. In food, iron has different forms, such as the heme and non-heme forms following different absorption pathways with different efficiency rates, depending on conditioning factors, such as diet profile, physiological aspects, iron chemical state, absorption regulation, transportation, storing, excretion and the presence of disease, They also discuss the current difficulties in dealing with iron nutritional deficiency in vulnerable groups, children and pregnant women, and focus data on iron consumption, adhesion to breast feeding and the frequency of prenatal care visits.