Iron deficiency (ID) is the world’s most common nutritional deficiency, and infants and preschool children are particularly at risk of developing both ID and iron deficiency anaemia (IDA). ¹ Apart from its role in the prevention of anaemia (as the oxygen-binding component of haemoglobin), iron is involved in many other aspects of life, including cellular processes (respiration and energy production), humoral and cellular immunity, muscle cell oxygenation, and brain function where it plays an important role in cognition.