Improved iron status can be achieved through supplementation and food fortification. While iron supplementation programs have been part of public health program of many countries, these programs have not been shown to consistently reduce anemia. Part of the reason may lie in the multifactorial cause of the anemia. Supplements should be integrated with malaria and intestinal parasite control programs where the latter are problems. Several scientific poster presentations offered evidence that iron fortification of condiments and complementary foods offers an efficacious approach.
Fish sauce is a commonly eaten condiment in Vietnam.
The usefulness of low hemoglobin as a marker of iron deficiency is often limited because other factors are contributing to lowering hemoglobin, i.e., malaria, helminth infection, HIV, and other infections. More specific indicators, i.e. serum ferritin and transferrin receptor, should be used when assessing the magnitude of iron deficiency anemia and iron deficiency without anemia. It is also critical to know whether infections such as malaria, helminthes, or HIV are present in the population. These more specific indicators should also be used to monitor and evaluate the impact of iron supplementation and fortification programs.