Health conscious women, who limit their diet to mainly chicken and fish, may face as many problems as those who binge on junk foods due to the presence of too little iron in both the diets, a new study has warned.

Researchers revealed that a lack of understanding of the significance of iron could be endangering women's health and hindering children's performance at school.

Switching a few meals to foods high in iron, such as steak, liver and watercress could make all the difference, the Daily Express reported.

"The high rate of iron deficiency among women in a developed country like the UK is a real concern," said TV doctor and health campaigner Christian Jessen.

"The side effects are subtle and can creep on up you - you can end up feeling tired, lethargic with no get up and go."

According to the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, conducted by YouGov for industry body MeatMatters, a quarter of British women and teenage girls suffer from a low intake of iron.

Less than a third of the 2,000 women polled were aware of the fact that lack of iron could decrease a child's attention span and learning ability.