A 2-year-old child is screened for lead poisoning. The blood level is 16 mg/dL. The PNP discusses nutritional needs, including a diet high in:

A 2-year-old child is screened for lead poisoning. The blood level is 16 mg/dL. The PNP discusses nutritional needs, including a diet high in:

• A. Protein and calcium
• B. Vitamin C and iron
• C. Fat and Zinc
• D. Calcium and iron

Answer: (D)

The key idea is that certain nutrients can compete with lead for absorption in the gut, so providing adequate amounts of those nutrients helps limit how much lead the body takes in. Calcium and iron are the best combination for this in a toddler because they directly reduce lead uptake and support healthy growth. Calcium competes with lead for absorption pathways in the intestines and helps encourage lead to be deposited in bone rather than remaining in circulation. Iron is also crucial because lead uses similar transport mechanisms as iron; when iron intake is adequate, lead absorption is reduced, and iron helps prevent the anemia that lead exposure can cause through interference with heme synthesis. In young children, iron status is often suboptimal, so pairing iron-rich foods (or fortified cereals) with calcium-rich foods (like dairy or fortified dairy alternatives) provides a practical strategy to minimize lead absorption. Other options don’t target this absorption mechanism as effectively. While vitamin C can improve iron absorption, and protein or fats have broad nutritional benefits, they don’t specifically reduce lead absorption the way calcium and iron do.

The key idea is that certain nutrients can compete with lead for absorption in the gut, so providing adequate amounts of those nutrients helps limit how much lead the body takes in. Calcium and iron are the best combination for this in a toddler because they directly reduce lead uptake and support healthy growth.

Calcium competes with lead for absorption pathways in the intestines and helps encourage lead to be deposited in bone rather than remaining in circulation. Iron is also crucial because lead uses similar transport mechanisms as iron; when iron intake is adequate, lead absorption is reduced, and iron helps prevent the anemia that lead exposure can cause through interference with heme synthesis. In young children, iron status is often suboptimal, so pairing iron-rich foods (or fortified cereals) with calcium-rich foods (like dairy or fortified dairy alternatives) provides a practical strategy to minimize lead absorption.

Other options don’t target this absorption mechanism as effectively. While vitamin C can improve iron absorption, and protein or fats have broad nutritional benefits, they don’t specifically reduce lead absorption the way calcium and iron do.