Preventing and controlling micronutrient deficiencies in populations affected by an emergency: multiple vitamin and mineral supplements for pregnant and lactating women, and for children aged 6 to 59 months

Overview

Deficiencies of micronutrients are a major global health problem. More than 2 billion people in the world today are estimated to be deficient in key vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin A, iodine, iron and zinc. Most of these people live in low-income countries and are typically deficient in more than one micronutrient. Deficiencies occur when people do not have access to micronutrient-rich foods such as fruit, vegetables, animal products and fortified foods, usually because they are too expensive to buy or are locally unavailable. Micronutrient deficiencies increase the general risk of infectious illness and of dying from diarrhoea, measles, malaria and pneumonia. These conditions are among the 10 leading causes of disease in the world today.

The groups most vulnerable to micronutrient deficiencies are pregnant women, lactating women and young children, mainly because they have a relatively greater need for vitamins and minerals and are more susceptible to the harmful consequences of deficiencies. For a pregnant woman, these include a greater risk of dying during childbirth, or of giving birth to an underweight or mentally-impaired baby. For a lactating mother, her micronutrient status determines the health and development of her breast-fed infant, especially during the first 6 months of life. For a young child, micronutrient deficiencies increase the risk of dying due to infectious disease and contribute to impaired physical and mental development.