11/30/2004, Hotel Trans Asia, Gardiner Mawatha, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Essential vitamins and minerals that are needed in tiny quantities, usually a few milligrams or even micrograms per day, are known as micronutrients. Their deficiencies can lead to serious health problems, including blindness, mental retardation and reduced resistance to infectious diseases. These deficiencies result in loss of human capital and worker productivity and consequently reduced development.
Iodine, vitamin A and iron are the three most important micronutrients required by the body. It is a matter of concern that their deficiency is widespread. They affect almost 2 billion people around the world mainly in developing countries. These deficiencies can be prevented through: dietary diversification; food fortification; bio-fortification; supplementation and public health and disease control measures
This Conference focuses primarily on elimination of micronutrient malnutrition through food fortification. It may be noted that in developing countries food fortification is increasingly recognized as an effective national approach to improve micronutrient malnutrition status among the people. Fortification does not require change in dietary habits of the population, can often be implemented relatively quickly and can be sustainable over long periods of time. Some studies have shown fortification to be one of the most cost effective methods of reducing micronutrient deficiencies.
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