Excess cow's milk linked to three toddler deaths and rising iron deficiency in Australia

Medical experts say that over-consumption of cow's milk caused severe iron-deficiency anaemia, contributing to three toddler deaths in Queensland and a surge in hospital cases.

Queensland health officials have identified excessive cow's milk consumption as a factor in three toddler deaths over the past two years, attributing the fatalities to extreme iron-deficiency anaemia. Dr Sally Campbell of Queensland Children's Hospital explained that intake above two cups (500 ml) per day can block iron absorption, leading to severe anaemia and, when combined with a viral infection, heart failure. Pathology Queensland records reveal a rise in severe anaemia cases from 39 in 2020 to 86 in 2025, a trend some attribute to cost-of-living pressures.

In Perth, Professor Desiree Silva's ORIGINS study reports that more than 56 % of children by age three have low iron, with 2.6 % classified as severely deficient. The health system is revising the Red Book guidance, partnering with general practitioners, community nurses, and a text-message program to educate parents, and advising that infants under one year avoid cow's milk entirely while older children limit intake to two cups daily.