CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND IRON DEFICIENCY Early Action Is Critical for Healthy Mental, Physical, and Social Development

o examine the role of iron status in the development of children, the Office of Health and Nutrition, U.S. Agency for International Development, through the Opportunities for Micronutrient Intervention (OMNI) Project and the Partnership for Child Development, University of Oxford, convened a group of concerned scientists and policy makers in Oxford, United Kingdom, on September 16–17, 1996. The group examined existing scientific data on the biological role of iron in brain development, including clinical and observational data, as well as correlation, cross-section, and controlled communitybased intervention studies. The policy and program implications also were examined and discussed. The deliberations and conclusions of the group are summarized here.