What is Supplementation?

Supplementation

Supplementation refers to periodic administration of pharmacologic preparations of nutrients as capsules or tablets or by injection when substantial or immediate benefits are necessary for the group at risk. As established at the International Conference on Nutrition, nutritional supplementation should be restricted to vulnerable groups, which cannot meet their nutrient needs through food (women of childbearing age, infants and young children, elderly people, low socio-economic groups, displaced people, refugees, and populations experiencing other emergency situations). For example, iron supplementation is recognised as the only option to control or prevent iron deficiency anaemia in pregnant women. Supplementation with folic acid should be considered for women of childbearing age who have had a child with neural

tube defect to prevent recurrence.

Reference:
FAO/WHO. 1992. International Conference on Nutrition. World Declaration and Plan of Action for Nutrition. FAO, Rome.