This study was performed to investigated the difference in the nutritional status of normal children and children with suboptimal iron status. Two hundred and sixty children from 5th grade were divided into 2 groups(normal group and suboptimal group) according to the hematologic parameters of iron(RBC count, hemoglobin, serum ferritin). Normal group was composed of 71 male and 81 female and suboptimal group was consisted of 65 male and 43 female. Fat percentage of children from suboptimal group was 18.9%, which was significantly lower than 22.1% of normal group(p<0.05). TST and MAC of suboptimal group were also lower than those of normal group(p<0.05). Mean intakes of energy, protein, thiamin, riboflavin, iron were lower than those in normal group(p<0.05). suboptimal female students showed 1197.6㎉ of energy intake(63.0% of RDA) and 0.56㎎ of thiamin intake(56% of RDA). Mean RBC count, hematocrit, hemoglobin, ferritin(p<0.01) and FEP(p<0.05) of suboptimal group were lower than those of normal group. Thirty-nine point seven percent of children from suboptimal group was observed with having gastrointestinal disease which was significantly higher than 22.1% of normal group. (Korean J Community Nutrition 3(3) : 341∼348, 1998)