News
Low vitamin B6 may increase risk of Parkinson’s disease
12 April 2010
Insufficient levels of vitamin B6 may increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease by about 50 percent, according to a new study.
18 July 2012
Fortifying foods with iron is effective and could be a viable public health option to help combat iron deficiency, says a new review from India.
To evaluate the effect of iron fortification in the context of iron deficiency and anemia, the meta-analysis included data from 60 randomized controlled trials (1). The analysis showed that fortifying foods with iron resulted in a significant increase in hemoglobin concentrations, and a reduced risk of anemia and iron deficiency. No instances of zinc depletion were observed – a theoretical risk of iron fortification, particularly in vegetarian populations with very low zinc intake.
The researchers noted that iron deficiency anemia is a widespread problem with health and economic consequences, such as poor cognitive development in children, lower worker productivity, and increased maternal mortality (2). Anemia affects nearly one third of the world’s population, primarily infants and young children in developing countries (3). Dietary strategies to counter anemia include iron supplementation or fortification, or dietary modification. It is often proposed that food fortification is the most realistic way to increase iron intake on a widespread and sustainable basis, and it is currently implemented above all in the United States, Britain, and most of Latin America. Biofortification of crops is also currently being intensively researched, with experts hoping it will provide a more sustainable and complementary alternative to food fortification.
12 April 2010
Insufficient levels of vitamin B6 may increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease by about 50 percent, according to a new study.
30 October 2013
A new report from the United Kingdom’s Chief Medical Officer makes a case for providing vitamin D to all children under the age of five.
2 July 2013
A new review from China concludes that a higher consumption of omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish seems to be associated with a significant reduction in the risk of developing breast cancer.