Malnutrición de micronutrientes. Estrategias de prevención y control

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies specially affect mothers and children in rural and marginal areas of big cities in developing countries, due to insufficient micronutrient rich food consumption, recurrent infections and malabsorption syndromes. Fortification of staple foods and supplementation of lacking nutrients in the regular diet prevent these specific nutritional diseases. In Colombia fortification of wheat flour with thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, iron and calcium (optional), and salt with iodine are ongoing strategies to reduce micronutrient deficiencies and to contribute to improve the nutritional status of the population. Nutrition education is an important tool in promoting healthy diets and advising the population on the consumption of micronutrients rich foods and fortified staples such as wheat flour and iodized salt