Obese American kids run an alarmingly high risk of iron deficiency, a study by UT South western Medical Center researchers has found. The study, appearing in the September issue of the journal Pediatrics, is the first to report an link between iron deficiency and childhood obesity among children as young as 1 to 3 years old.

A national survey of 1,641 toddlers has found that 20 percent of overweight toddlers to be iron-deficient compared to 8 percent of those at risk for being overweight, and 7 percent of normal-weight toddlers.

Iron-deficiency anemia in infancy and early childhood can also lead to delay in behavioral and cognitive development, including impaired learning, decreased school achievement, and lower scores on tests of mental and motor development.

Scientists also added that iron deficiency in kids can be attributed to parents who let their children drink cow's milk and juice from a bottle, instead of weaning them and introducing iron-rich foods.

Bottle-fed children tend to drink too much milk and juice, which are low in iron, and don't get enough solid food.