Supplementing micronutrients to grow taller and healthier

Micronutrient deficiency at the community level today is the cause of serious health consequences, related to the development of stature and intelligence of Vietnamese people.

Using and storing iodized salt properly will be beneficial to health.

Faced with the people's lack of four micronutrients: iron, zinc, vitamin A and iodine, the Government issued Decree No. 09/2016 requiring businesses producing salt, cooking oil and flour to include these micronutrients in food.

Specifically, in cooking oil is fortified with vitamin A, in salt is iodine, in flour is iron and zinc.

50% of children under 5 years old are iron deficient

Associate Professor, Dr. Le Bach Mai, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Nutrition, presented on the current state of micronutrient deficiency among Vietnamese people at a conference to disseminate this decree in Ho Chi Minh City on June 23.

According to Associate Professor Bach Mai, the anemia rate in children under 5 years old is 28%. This rate is higher in mountainous areas at 31.2% and in urban areas at 22%, meaning that 1 in 4 children in urban areas is anemic. In particular, the anemia rate in the golden age group (from 6-24 months old) is very high, 45% of children under 1 year old and 43% of children under 2 years old are anemic.

Not to mention, women of childbearing age are also severely anemic. Anemia in pregnant women leads to the risk of obstetric complications such as hemorrhage, giving birth to small, weak, premature babies and certainly affects the physical strength and stature of the next generation.

According to Ms. Bach Mai, 15 years have passed since 2000 but the rate of anemia has improved very slowly.

In 2015, the anemia rate was still 25% in women of childbearing age, 33% in pregnant women and 28% in children. Obviously, reducing the anemia rate is a huge challenge because foods to prevent anemia are not cheap.

The main cause of anemia is iron deficiency. It is worth noting that the rate of iron deficiency is also very high. For example, in 2015, up to 50% of children under 5 years old were iron deficient, 47% of pregnant women were iron deficient and 24% of women of childbearing age were iron deficient.

Micronutrient deficiency at the community level today is the cause of serious health consequences, related to the development of stature and intelligence of Vietnamese people. Therefore, according to Ms. Bach Mai, fortifying micronutrients in food is an inevitable trend in the coming time.

Since March 15, 2017, all salts on the market must be supplemented with iodine. Since March 15, 2018, cooking oil manufacturers launching new products must increase vitamin A in cooking oil, while flour manufacturers must supplement iron and zinc.

Choose foods rich in micronutrients

Dr. Do Thi Ngoc Diep, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Nutrition Center, emphasized that everyone needs to take in enough micronutrients. Especially for children, pregnant women, women of childbearing age, especially those planning to have children, the elderly... micronutrients play an even more important role.

To provide enough micronutrients for the body every day, the first important thing is to choose foods rich in micronutrients.

Adequate nutrition for healthy baby development.

For example, if you want your body to have enough iron, you need to choose red meat, animal liver, eggs, beans, green and red leafy vegetables... Vitamin A is abundant in animal liver, fish, meat, yellow, orange and green vegetables and fruits, and eggs.

Zinc is mainly found in mollusks such as mussels, clams, meats, milk, eggs, some beans, sprouted vegetables such as bean sprouts... Iodine is found in seaweed, sea fish and some meats. However, iodine is difficult to preserve and evaporates easily, so the world has added iodine to table salt to prevent iodine deficiency.

The second solution is to choose foods that are fortified with micronutrients. The third solution is to use tablets and solutions to supplement micronutrients. However, this solution is usually only used for high-risk groups such as children, postpartum women and pregnant women.

According to Tuoi Tre