How iron supplement can prevent child malnutrition — Nestle

NIGERIA remains one of the countries where malnutrition holds sway. For most people, the malnutrition situation in Nigeria can best be described as a “ticking time bomb”, particularly in some parts of the Northern part of the country where child malnutrition is projected to increase to 2 million in 2023, up from 1.74 million last year by the United Nations.

With a UNICEF report showing that 5 in 10 children under five years old suffer from the effects of malnutrition, experts say the major cause of malnutrition in Nigeria remains micronutrient deficiencies, also known as hidden hunger and that Iron fortification and supplementation is key to ending child malnutrition.

In the views of a nutritionist with Nestle Nutrition Institute Central West African Region, Dr. Kanalio Olaloku, micronutrients are vitamins and minerals needed by the body in very small amounts but their impact on a body’s health is critical, and deficiency in any of them can cause severe and even life-threatening conditions.

Medical experts say malnutrition means the poor intake of food which may be an excess consumption of food (overnutrition) or inadequate nutrient consumption (undernutrition).

According to WHO, malnutrition in all its forms include overweight, obesity, undernutrition (stunting, wasting and underweight), inadequate minerals or vitamins and resulting diet-related communicable diseases.

Olaloku in a presentation entitled: ““Malnutrition in Nigeria-Fortification as a strategy for improving nutrition indices” maintained that malnutrition, in every form, presents significant threats to human health.

She said globally there are 170 million underweight children, 3 million of whom will die each year as a result of being underweight.  Additionally, WHO estimates worldwide at least 20 million children under five years of age are overweight, as well as more than a billion adults, and at least 300 million adults who are clinically obese.

Olaloku at a one-day capacity building workshop entitled: “Fortification As A Strategy” organised by Nestle in Lagos, explained that there is a wide range of interventions available to tackle micronutrient deficiencies.

She stressed that interventions designed toward increasing dietary diversification should be the central component of micronutrient deficiency prevention and control efforts.

According to her, fortification is the practice of deliberately increasing the content of one or more micronutrients (i.e., vitamins and minerals) in a food or condiment to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply and provide a public health benefit with minimal health risk. As well as increasing the nutritional content of staple foods, the addition of micronutrients can help to restore the micronutrient content lost during processing.

Explaining why food fortification was necessary, she said fortification is widely identified as a cost-effective strategy for addressing micronutrient malnutrition at scale.

“In Nigeria, food fortification with a focus on vitamin A, iron, zinc, iodine, and other micronutrients remains a major thrust of the effort to eliminate micronutrient malnutrition.

“Micronutrient deficiencies have been an enduring problem in Nigeria. The prevalence of Vitamin A deficiency is estimated at 30 per cent and 70 per cent of children are anaemic. Previously micronutrient deficiency control (MNDC) efforts were limited.”

Olaloku who stated that in Nigeria, the prevalence of iron deficiency anaemic (IDA) among preschool children is estimated at 70 per cent, noted that deficiencies in iron, vitamin A and iodine are the most common around the world, particularly in children and pregnant women.

She however explained that Nestle's mission for Central and West Africa was to enhance quality of life and contribute to a healthier future in Central and West Africa by providing affordable and accessible nutrition.

Stating that Nestle was committed to food and beverage fortifications, she said they add relevant micronutrients in foods and beverages that are widely consumed by a large portion of the population at risk, at affordable prices and meet at least 15 percent daily needs, also below the upper limits to prevent overconsumption.

“This Policy aims to promote the micronutrient fortification of foods and beverages at levels that help to improve and maintain health, but in amounts that do not increase the risk of developing adverse consequences from excessive consumption.”

On what Nestle is doing as regards product fortification, she said over 95 per cent of their products are fortified to provide at least 15 per cent of daily needs in one serving and each product is fortified with at least 1 of the Big 4 nutrient deficiencies: Iron, Vit A, Iodine, Zinc.    Also, other nutrients such as B vitamins, Vitamin C, Calcium, Phosphorus, etc.   She said:  “It must be recognised that these interventions will take time to show impact, and they might not provide the required amounts of all nutrients needed throughout the lifecycle. 

“Until populations’ diets improve, and to meet the deficiencies that longer-term intervention will correct, food fortification and supplementation remain the primary sources for delivering key micronutrients to all risk populations.”

Stressing the need for the consumption of food rich in Iron, she said, “is the largest micronutrient deficiency globally and, in our countries, with devastating impact on children’s development and women of childbearing age as a result of low awareness of our vulnerability to Iron deficiency anaemia and low consumption of iron-friendly diet, which also contributes to balanced eating.”

She said the company is working diligently to increase awareness of the importance of iron, the severe impact of Iron Deficiency Anaemia, and the affordable and accessible solution in collaborative partnership with stakeholders namely: the Federal Ministry of Health (FMH), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) to drive advocacy for better eating choices.

She listed some of the strategies to end malnutrition to include; food fortification and supplementation; regular deworming; dietary diversification; enhanced caregiver capability; multi-sectoral approach/partnership; and continued research/data availability.