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a particular food and the general composition of the diet. Diets containing cereals, roots, tubers and negligible quantities of meat, fish or vitamin C rich foods, are classed as low bio-availability and the absorption of iron from such diets is about 5 percent. Maize, beans, whole wheat flour, sorghum, etc. which are predominantly consumed by the poor, are known to inhibit iron absorption. A diversified diet containing generous quantities of meat, poultry, fish, and/or foods containing high amounts of vitamin C (citrus fruits for example) is classed as a high bio-availability diet. The absorption of iron from such a diet is about 15 percent.
12. As a consequence of the varying bio-availability of iron from different diets the dietary allowance of iron depends upon the composition of the diet. For instance, girls between the ages of 12 and 16 years consuming a low bio-availability diet (5% absorption) would have 40 mg of iron as basal requirement in comparison with only one-third of that amount of iron (13 mg) if consuming a high bio-availability diet. Ingested iron is also lost significantly due to intestinal infection causing pathological blood loss. With the exception of Mongolia, and perhaps also Malaysia and some Pacific islands, diets in Asia can be generally classified as low bio-availability diets, particularly those of low income
low income groups where consumption of animal products is especially low.
13. Iron deficiency anaemia develops so insidiously that it often. remains unrecognized at the beginning. Ultimately however, it affects the individual's well-being, resistance to infection and capacity for prolonged physical effort. Iron deficiency anaemia affects almost half the population of the developing countries of the Region. In Bangladesh, a survey carried out in 1981-82 showed that 73 percent of the children under 5 years and 38 percent of the children between 5 and 14 years were anaemic. Twenty percent of the adult population and 28 percent of the pregnant and lactating mothers were found anaemic. In Indonesia 40 percent of pre- school children, 70 percent of school children, 70 percent of all pregnant females and 40 percent of people in low income group were found suffering from anaemia. A survey among rural areas near Hyderabad in India indicated that 65 percent of adult women, 75 percent of pregnant women, 77 percent of pre-school children and about 45 percent of adult men were anaemic. Similar prevalence rates of anaemia were reported from the rural areas around Delhi and Calcutta.
to be
14. Absorption of iron can be increased by suitable changes in the diets of people brought about through diversification in agriculture and the greater availability of animal products. Absorbable iron can also be supplied through fortification of some suitable foodstuffs. For example, cereal products have been widely used in the industrialized countries as a vehicle for iron fortification. India has successfully conducted trials for the control of iron deficiency by fortifying common salt to the level of 1 mg of iron per 1 gram of salt. Similarly, fortification of mono- sodium glutamate (MSG) has been studied in other countries of the Region as a possibility.
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Deficiency of Iodine
15. Iodine deficiency is widespread in the Region and has serious adverse consequences. The Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) encompass diseases such as goitre at all ages, endemic cretinism characterised most commonly by mental deficiency, deaf mutism and spastic diplegia. IDD is
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