Combating iron deficiency: food-based approaches.

Abstract

AbstractIron deficiency is the most widespread dietary deficiency in the world affecting close to two billion people or one-third of the world's population. Its most visible impact is iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) which contributes significantly to high levels of maternal and neonatal deaths in poor, vulnerable populations, while the 'hidden' impact of iron deficiency extends to all areas of individual growth and development. Anaemia is most prevalent in pregnant women and pre-school children. The insidious nature of IDA has made it a difficult challenge for the international community to address effectively as its scale and impact are often overlooked. This chapter presents the requirements for iron and related micronutrients and describes the prevalence and geographic and socio-economic distribution of anaemia. The public health consequences of anaemia on both the individual and on society are outlined and the determining or contributing factors that can lead to or hinder their alleviation are discussed. The chapter concludes that increasing the availability and consumption of a nutritionally adequate diet is the only sustainable and long-term solution, not just for overcoming IDA, but for overcoming other micronutrient deficiencies as well. Policies and intervention programmes that effectively alleviate micronutrient deficiencies are described, including increasing overall food intake, increasing consumption of micronutrient-rich foods, modifying intake of dietary inhibitors and enhancers, using improved processing, preservation and preparation techniques, consumer education for behaviour change, improving food quality and safety and public health, and food fortification and supplementation. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is committed to placing food-based strategies for preventing micronutrient deficiencies high on the development policy agenda and urges all parties to speed up their wider implementation if the Millennium Development Goals are to be achieved on time.