It s a fallacy to think we can phase them out. But by targeting supplements to people who need them the most, we can reduce the number of people getting supplements and reduce costs. Even if you can get the pills to the people who need them, individuals will not always take them. If you give pregnant women iron and make sure they take it every day, their iron status will be much better, says Mannar. But in the real world, there are issues of compliance.
Communication is a huge part of it.
New Ways of Eating Nutritionists agree that part of the solution to micronutrient deficiencies is convincing people to make their diets more nutritious. So far, however, most attempts to change people s eating behavior have been unsuccessful. It s often difficult to make dietary changes using local foods if you re poor. You can t afford a nutritious diet, says Stoltzfus. One project designed to increase vitamin A consumption among the poor in northeast Thailand showed positive results.