Food-based Approaches to Meeting Vitamin and Mineral Needs...continued #2.

Reference from the joint report of FAO/WHO expert consultation on Human Vitamins and Minerals verbatim. (Chapter 2)

The recent interest in the role of phyto-chemicals and antioxidants on health and their presence in plant foods lend further support to the recommendation for increasing vegetables and fruit consumed in the diet. The need for dietary diversification is supported by the knowledge of the interrelationships of food components, which may enhance the nutritional value of foods and prevent undesirable imbalances, which may limit the utilisation of some nutrients.

For example, fruits rich in ascorbic acid will enhance the absorption of ionic iron. If energy intake is low (<8.368 MJ/day), for example, in the case of young children, sedentary women, or the elderly, the diet may not provide vitamin and mineral intakes sufficient to meet the RNIs. This situation may be of special relevance to the elderly, who are inactive, have decreased lean body mass, and typically decrease their energy intake. Young children, pregnant women, and lactating women, who have greater micronutrient needs relative to their energy needs, will also require increased micronutrient density. 

The household is the basic unit for food consumption under most settings, and if there is sufficient food, individual members of the household can consume a diet with the recommended nutrient densities and meet their specific RNIs. However, appropriate food distribution within the family must be considered to ensure that children and women receive adequate food with high micronutrient density. 

Household food distribution must be considered when establishing general dietary guidelines and addressing the needs of vulnerable groups in the community. In addition, education detailing the appropriate storage and processing of foods to prevent micronutrient losses at the household level is important. Dietary diversification when consuming cereal and tuber-based diets (rice, corn, wheat, potato, and cassava) 

Dietary diversification is important to improve the intake of critical nutrients. The micronutrients selected discussed here, although limited in number, are of public health relevance or serve as markers for overall micronutrient intake. The chapters on individual nutrients will provide further details on food-related considerations for micronutrient adequacy. The nutrients selected for discussion below include some of the nutrients, whichare most difficult to obtain in cereal and tuber-based diets. Nutrient deficiencies of vitamin A, iron, and zinc are widespread.