Food fortification refers to the addition of specific micronutrients to commonly consumed foods processed by food industries, such as rice and cereal flours, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, dairy, and other food products. Mass fortification results in additional intake of micronutrients, which can be observed by measuring changes in both intake or exposure (serum folate), or metabolic status (e.g., serum ferritin for iron) and functional outcomes (e.g., anemia). The fortification strategies used to cater either the general public or specific population groups are identified as mass food
Anemia is a public health concern disproportionately affecting young children, pregnant women, and women of reproductive age. The Global Burden of Disease Study estimates that iron deficiency anemia and thalassemia are the leading anemia causes worldwide.
While anemia is prevalent around the world, the underlying causes differ among different populations and regions. A “one size fits all” approach does not exist, and implementation of strategies to reduce anemia depend on the main causes of anemia, and the financial and technical capacity of each country.
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This section presents estimates for the global and regional causes and prevalence of anemia.
‹ Anemia Landscape Introduction
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