Danone, a global leader in infant and children formula nutrition, has launched the Iron Up! program to address iron deficiency in children. The program aims to educate parents and caregivers about the importance of iron in children’s diets and provide them with resources to ensure their kids get enough iron.
Iron deficiency is a common issue in children, affecting over 40% of children in the US, 60% in Europe and possibly a higher proportion in Asia.
Iron Up! is the first global program of its kind that is set to positively impact the health of young children around the world at risk of or impacted by iron deficiency anemia (IDA).
Under Iron Up! Danone accelerates its decades-long effort across 3 foundational pillars of increasing awareness of IDA; partnerships to positively impact health and science-based; and consumer-centric nutritional solutions.
Iron deficiency is the leading cause of anemia, a condition affecting more than 40% of children under five globally. Despite its prevalence, iron deficiency anemia remains often undetected and undertreated due to low awareness of its symptoms and causes, insufficient screening, and suboptimal nutrition.
Danone is partnering with governments, NGOs and medical societies to ensure that IDA screening and nutrition become an integral part of national child health strategies. Recently, as part of French President Emmanuel Macron’s state-visit to Indonesia, Danone Indonesia also signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indonesia’s National Nutrition Agency (BGN). This agreement formalizes a 2-year collaboration that will support Indonesia’s national nutrition agenda by conducting IDA screening in jointly selected locations, targeting children aged 6 months to 6 years.
Iron Up! will also focus on expanding access to superior, evidence-based nutritional solutions tailored to the specific iron needs of young children including formulations that enhance iron absorption with vitamin C, inulin, and prebiotics. Formula milks with IronBiotics, Danone’s proprietary innovation, are now available in several markets and deliver up to 3 times more iron absorption, turning advanced science into meaningful health outcomes.
