Thirty-two children were assessed for dietary, clinical, biochemical and anthropometric status at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years of age. Development was assessed by the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) Index. Using a dietary history and record, dietary iron was estimated and compared to the National Food Consumption Survey (1985) and Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) 10th edition. Daily iron intake decreased from 13.2 mg at 6 months to 10.3 mg iron at 1 year of age and 7.4 mg iron at 2 years of age. Iron intake and mental development were not related at statistically significant levels at any age. A stepwise multiple regression technique was employed to investigate the extent to which mental and motor development was explained with dietary variables, blood iron parameters and anthropometric measurements. Hematocrit concentration was the only variable which was consistently useful in predicting development at 1 and 2 years of age.