We will be moving back to Germany from the United States with our 8 month old son. The references for child nutrition seem to differ especially for iron, is that true?

United States

Yes, it is true that the national nutrient recommendations differ (see Table 32), but all take into account the estimated nutrient needs of nearly all healthy people. The Reference Nutrient Intakes (RNIs) for iron given in Table 32 illustrate the large variations that exist among the recommendations from different countries. These variations highlight the scientific uncertainty regarding the optimal intake of iron for infants and young children.Table 32. Recommended nutrient intakes for iron in mg/day

Age	Germany(c)	United Kingdom	United States	European Union(a)	WHO(b)
0-3 months	0.5	1.7	6.0	-	-
4-6 months	8	4.3	6.0	-	-
7-9 months	8	7.8	10.0	6.0	8.5
10-12 months	8	7.8	10.0	6.0	8.5
1-3 years	8	6.9	10.0	4.0	5.0
4-6 years	8	6.1	10.0	4.0	5.0

a Bioavailability 15 %
b Median basal requirement on intermediate bioavailability diet
c under the age of 4 months, infants have a quite low recommended iron intake, because they are adequately supplied with iron remaining from placenta deposits Source: Garrow et al.(20) and DGE