The healthcare and the economy of the country end up getting negatively impacted as people struggling with various micronutrient deficiencies, specifically iron, are unable to be fully productive and hence partake in economic activities to the highest potential.
Putting efforts behind the nation’s nutrition is like investing in the country’s future pipeline of human resources. In Pakistan alone, anemia caused by deficiency of iron continues to be amongst one of the major causes of disability-adjusted life years, that is lost amongst young adults.
These disability-adjusted life years are usually marred with breathing illnesses, diarrhea amongst teenagers, anxiety amongst older teens, etc.
Young mothers too are affected by iron deficiency, and while there are a handful of programs running in the country tackle the malnutrition and micronutrient issues in the population, specific interventions for all and sundry, such as fortification of food, iron and folic acid supplementation for pregnant women are the need of the hour.
All over the world, scientists and trying and experimenting with methods to increase food’s nutritional value by fortifying it. It is a commonly accepted fact all over the world, that fortifying food, is one of the most effective and widescale methods to overcome malnutrition.
Ensuring the availability of nutritionally rich food, fortified with iron and other micronutrients can enhance the productivity of the young population, as it will mean improved physical health, as well as better mental and emotional health.
One research that has come to the foray recently is by a university in New Zealand that has introduced a new and innovative way through which the absorption of iron can be increased in the bloodstream.
Massey University has launched what they term as Iron+ or Iron Plus, this research is groundbreaking, as it can help address iron deficiency globally amongst 1.6 billion people if respective governments pay heed and adopt it as part of their national nutrition policies.
Meanwhile, milk is one of the staple items in children’s diet as they grow until the age of teens for the majority of the population. Milk fortification can be a great way to increase iron intake among women and specifically children.
Milk fortified with iron can be a great meal supplement for children suffering from iron deficiency – that is a commonality in most households these days.
A research study titled, Effects of micronutrient fortified milk and cereal food for infants and children: a systematic review by Klaus Eichler, Simon Wieser, Isabelle Rüthemann, Urs Brügger showed that milk and grains with iron, zinc, and Vitamin A, reduced the occurrence of anemia by over 50% among children under the age of 5.
This study was conducted in over a sample size of 5,000 children.
Globally, fortification of food with iron and other essential micronutrients has been made mandatory for over five decades in developed economies.
However, this has only been implemented on a wider scale in developing countries until recently. General awareness and incentivizing the food industry to promote efforts in food fortification will go a long way in addressing the challenges of malnutrition.