Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-995ml Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-27T20:04:23.843Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Food-based strategies to meet the challenges of micronutrient malnutrition in the developing world

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

Kraisid Tontisirin
Affiliation:
Food and Nutrition Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO-ESNA, C-244 Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy
Guy Nantel*
Affiliation:
Food and Nutrition Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO-ESNA, C-244 Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy
Lalita Bhattacharjee
Affiliation:
Food and Nutrition Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO-ESNA, C-244 Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy
*
*Dr Guy Nantel, fax +39 06 5705 4593, email Guy.Nantel@fao.org
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The purpose of the present paper is to review the evidence in favour of food-based strategies to meet the challenges of micronutrient malnutrition in the developing world. Increasing dietary diversification is the most important factor in providing a wide range of micronutrients, and to achieve this objective in a development context requires an adequate supply, access and consumption of a variety of foods. Diets in developing countries generally lack many nutrients, including energy (inadequate amounts of food), so that strategies need to also emphasize an increase in total food intake, in addition to a greater variety. Agricultural and food policies tend to be oriented to primary agricultural productions, but they could also be formulated to promote and support home gardens and small livestock production for the explicit purpose of increasing the household consumption of micronutrient-rich foods. The adoption of ‘desirable’ dietary patterns for nutrition improvement, e.g. appropriately formulated to meet micronutrient needs, could be used in the formulation of agricultural policies and programmes. This process could be achieved through support for integrated farming systems oriented to assuring household food security, but also based on a variety of foods that will meet total dietary (including micronutrient) needs. Thus, availability of energy-rich staples, animal and/or fish as major sources of protein, and vitamin-, mineral- and phytonutrient-rich fruit and vegetables could constitute the types of production envisaged. The cultivation of edible indigenous plants as additional sources of micronutrients could also be added. The low bioavailability of some key micronutrients from foods, such as Fe, are substantially enhanced with the right food combinations and with appropriate food processing and preparation techniques. Simple appropriate technology for the preservation of micronutrientrich foods would need further development and promotion for their year-round availability. Linking community development policies to national programmes for the alleviation of hunger and malnutrition, with an emphasis on increasing the variety of foods consumed, is probably the best strategy for improving micronutrient malnutrition sustainably.

Type
International and Public Health Nutrition Group Symposium on ‘Achieving a balanced diet in the developing world: strategies to meet micronutrient needs’
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2002

Footnotes

Consultant.

References

Allen, LH & Ahluvalia, N (1997) Improving Iron Status Through Diet: The Application of Knowledge Concerning Dietary Iron Availability in Human Populations. Washington, DC: US Agency for International Development and Opportunities for Micronutrient Interventions.Google Scholar
Annapurna, V Shah, N Bhaskaram, P Bamji, MS &Reddy, V (1991) Bioavailability of spirulina carotene. Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition 10, 145151.Google Scholar
Bhattacharjee, LI Mudambi, SR Bhusan, B & Patanakar, AV (1994) Provitamin A content of selected Indian foods. Journal of Food Science and Technology 31 249251.Google Scholar
Booth, SL Johns, T & Lopez-Palacios, CY (1993) Factors influencing the dietary intake of indigenous leafy greens by the K' ekchi people of Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. Ecology of Food and Nutritional, 31, 127145.Google Scholar
Brune, M Rossander, L & Hallberg, L (1989) Iron absorption and phenolic compounds: importance of different phenolic structures. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 43, 547558.Google Scholar
Bulux, J Quan, de Serano J Guiliano, A Parez, R Lopez, CY Rivera, C Solomons, NW & Canfield, LM (1994) Plasma response of children to short term chronic beta carotene supplementation. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 59, 369375.Google Scholar
Caballero, JN & Mapes, CS (1985) Gathering and subsistence patterns among the P’urhepecha Indians of Mexico. Journal of Ethnobiology 5, 31147.Google Scholar
Charlton, RW (1983) The effects of organic acids, phytates and polyphenols on the absorption of iron from vegetables. British Journal of Nutrition 49, 331342.Google Scholar
Combs, GF Welch, RM Duxbury, JM Uphoff, NT & Nesheim, MC (editors) (1995) Food-based Approaches to Preventing Micronutrient Malnutrition: An International Research Agenda. Summary Report of an International Workshop. Ithaca, NY: Cornell Internation Institute for food, Argiculture and Development, Cornell University.Google Scholar
Cook, JD & Monsen, ER (1976) Food iron absorption in human subjects. 3. Comparison of the effect of animal proteins on non-heme iron absorption. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 29, 859867.Google Scholar
De Maeyer, EM with the collaboration of Dallman, P Gurney, JM Hallberg, L Sood, SK & Srikantia, SK (1989) Preventing and Controlling Iron Deficiency Anemia Through Primary Health Care. A Guide for Health Administrators and Programme Managers. Geneva: WHO.Google Scholar
Dikshit, SN Udipi, SA Rao, A & Manoharan, V (1988) Separation of carotenoids and estimation of beta carotene content of selected Indian food preparations by HPLC. Journal of Food Science and Technology 25, 3941.Google Scholar
Florentino, S (editor) (1996) Dietary Guidelines in Asian Countries: Towards a Food-based Approach. Proceedings of a Seminar and Workshop on National Dietary Guidelines, Meeting Nutritional Needs of Asian Countries in the 21st Century. Singapore: ILSI, Southeast Asia.Google Scholar
Food and Agriculture Organization (1996) World Food Summit. Rome Declaration on World Food Security and World Food Summit Plan of Action. Rome: FAO.Google Scholar
Food and Agriculture Organization (2000) The State of Food Insecurity in the World. Rome: FAO.Google Scholar
Food and Agriculture Organization and International Life Sciences Institute (1997) Preventing Micronutrient Malnutrition: A Guide to Food Based Approaches – A Manual for Policy Makers and Programme Planners. Washington, DC: ILSI Press.Google Scholar
Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization (1988) Requirements of Vitamin A, Iron, Folate and Vitamin B12. Report of a Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation. Food and Nutrition Series no. 23. Geneva: WHO.Google Scholar
Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization (1992) International Conference on Nutrition. World Declaration and Plan of Action for Nutrition. Rome: FAO.Google Scholar
Gibson, RS & Ferguson, E (2000) An Interactive 24 Hour Recall for Assessing Dietary Adequacy of Iron and Zinc Intakes in Developing Countries. Washington, DC: ILSI Press.Google Scholar
Gibson, RS Hotz, C Temple, L Yeudall, F Mtitmuni, B & Ferguson, E (2000) Dietary strategies to combat deficiencies of iron, zinc and vitamin A in developing countries: Development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Food and Nutrition Bulletin 20, 219230.Google Scholar
Hallberg, L & Rossander, L (1984) Improvement of iron nutriture in developing countries: comparisons of adding meat, soy protein, ascorbic acid, citric acid and ferrous sulphate on iron absorption from a simple Latin American-type of meal. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 39, 577583.Google Scholar
Hanumatha, Rao D Mathur, YN Radhaiah, G & Prahalad, Rao N (1986) Health and Nutritional Status of Tribals in Madhya Pradesh. Hyderabad, India: National Institute of Nutrition.Google Scholar
Hussain, L & El-Tohamy, M (1988) Effect of supplementation with vitamin A or plant carotenes on plasma retinol levels among young Egyptian males. International Journal of Vitamin and Nutrition Research 59, 229233.Google Scholar
Hussain, L & El-Tohamy, M (1990) Vitamin A potency of carrot and spinach carotenes in human metabolic studies. International Journal of Vitamin and Nutrition Research 60, 229235.Google Scholar
International Institute of Population Studies (1998) National Family Health Survey of India 1994–1996. Bombay, India: IIPS.Google Scholar
Kataria, A Chauhan, BM & Gandhi, S (1988) Effect of domestic processing and cooking on the antinutrients of black gram. Food Chemistry 30, 149156.Google Scholar
Kearney, M & Gibney, MJ (1994) Qualitative research by focus group discussion to identify concerns about weight among adult females. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 53, 120A.Google Scholar
Krause, VM Kuhnlein, HV Lopez-Palacios, CY Tucker, KL Ruz, M & Solomons, NW (1993) Preparation effects on tortillas mineral content in Guatemala. Archivos LatinoAmericanos de Nutricion 43, 7377.Google Scholar
Lynch, SR Hurrell, RF Dassenko, SA & cook, JD (1989) The effect of dietary proteins on iron bioavailability in man. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 248, 117132.Google Scholar
Marfo, EK Simpson, BK Idowu, JS & Oke, OL (1990) Effect of local food processing on phytate levels in cassava, cocoyam, yam, maize, sorghum, rice, cowpea and soybean. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 38, 15801585.Google Scholar
National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (2000) Fifty Years ofNNMB. Annual Report. Hyderabad, India: Indian Council of Medical Research.Google Scholar
Padmavati, K Udipi, SA & Rao, M (1992) Effect of different cooking methods on carotene content of vegetables. Journal of Food Science and Technology 29, 137140.Google Scholar
Prabhavathi, T & Rao, N (1979) Effects of domestic preparation of cereals and legumes on ionizable iron. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 30, 597602.Google Scholar
Rahman, MM Mahalanabis, D Islam, MA & Biswas, E (1993) Can infants and young children eat enough green leafy vegetables from a single traditional meal to meet their daily vitamin A requirements European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 47, 6872.Google Scholar
Rao, Narasinga BS (1991) Use of beta carotene rich foods for combating vitamin A deficiency. NFI Bulletin 12, 16.Google Scholar
Reddy, V & Vijayaraghavan, K (1995) Carotene Rich Foods for Combating Vitamin A Deficiency. Hyderabad, India: National Institute of Nutrition.Google Scholar
Sankara, Rao DS & Deosthale, YG (1980) Effect of pearling on mineral and trace element composition and ionisable iron content of sorghum. Nutrition Reports International 22, 723728.Google Scholar
Sankara, Rao DS & Deosthale, YG (1981) Mineral composition, ionizable iron and soluble zinc in malted grains of pearl millet and ragi. Food Chemistry 11, 217223.Google Scholar
Seshadri, S Shah, ABhade, S (1985) Hematologic response of anemic preschool children to ascorbic acid supplementation. Human Nutrition: Applied Nutrition 39A, 151154.Google Scholar
Thompson, FEByers, T (1994) Dietary assessment resource manual. Journal of Nutrition 124, 2245S2317S.Google Scholar
Tontisirin, KBhattacharjee, L (1999) National policy on micronutrient deficiencies elimination. Regional Conference on Micronutrient Deficiencies Elimination, ILSI, Bangkok, September 1999. Bangkok, Thailand: ILSI, Southeast Asia.Google Scholar
Tontisirin, KGillespie, S (1999) Linking community based programmes and service delivery for improving maternal and child nutrition. Asian Development Review 1, 133.Google Scholar
Tontisirin, KYamborisut, U (1995) Appropriate weaning practices and foods to prevent protein-energy malnutrition: An Asian review. Food and Nutrition Bulletin 16, 3439.Google Scholar
Yip, R (1996) Prevention and control of iron deficiency in developing countries. Current Issues in Public Health 2, 253263.Google Scholar