TY - JOUR
T1 - Challenges and obstacles implementing evidence-based food fortification policy in a high-income country
AU - Endevelt, Ronit
AU - Tulchinsky, Theodore H.
AU - Stahl, Ziva
AU - Mor, Zohar
AU - Davidovitch, Nadav
AU - Levine, Hagai
AU - Troen, Aron M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2023 Endevelt, Tulchinsky, Stahl, Mor, Davidovitch, Levine and Troen.
PY - 2023/1/1
Y1 - 2023/1/1
N2 - The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes food fortification as one of the most cost-effective and beneficial public health measures available. Mass fortification policies and regulations can reduce health disparities, including in high-income countries, by improving micronutrient intake among food-insecure or high-risk populations without changing their diet or behavior. While international health organizations have traditionally prioritized technical assistance and grants to medium and low-income countries, it is important to recognize that micronutrient deficiencies may also pose an important yet underappreciated public health problem in many high-income countries. Nevertheless, some high-income countries, including Israel, have been slow to adopt fortification, due to a variety of scientific, technological, regulatory, and political barriers. Overcoming these barriers requires an exchange of knowledge and expertise among the all stakeholders to achieve cooperation and broad public acceptance within countries. Similarly, sharing the experience of countries where the matter is in play may help inform efforts to advance fortification globally. Here we share a perspective on progress and barriers to achieve this goal in Israel, to inform efforts made to avoid the regrettable waste of unrealized human potential from prevalent yet preventable nutrient deficiency conditions, in Israel and beyond.
AB - The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes food fortification as one of the most cost-effective and beneficial public health measures available. Mass fortification policies and regulations can reduce health disparities, including in high-income countries, by improving micronutrient intake among food-insecure or high-risk populations without changing their diet or behavior. While international health organizations have traditionally prioritized technical assistance and grants to medium and low-income countries, it is important to recognize that micronutrient deficiencies may also pose an important yet underappreciated public health problem in many high-income countries. Nevertheless, some high-income countries, including Israel, have been slow to adopt fortification, due to a variety of scientific, technological, regulatory, and political barriers. Overcoming these barriers requires an exchange of knowledge and expertise among the all stakeholders to achieve cooperation and broad public acceptance within countries. Similarly, sharing the experience of countries where the matter is in play may help inform efforts to advance fortification globally. Here we share a perspective on progress and barriers to achieve this goal in Israel, to inform efforts made to avoid the regrettable waste of unrealized human potential from prevalent yet preventable nutrient deficiency conditions, in Israel and beyond.
KW - NTD (neural tube defect)
KW - calcium
KW - folate (folic acid)
KW - fortification
KW - iodine
KW - micronutrients
KW - vitamin B12
KW - vitamin D
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85151367927&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1052314
DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1052314
M3 - Article
C2 - 37006576
AN - SCOPUS:85151367927
SN - 2296-2565
VL - 11
JO - Frontiers in Public Health
JF - Frontiers in Public Health
M1 - 1052314
ER -