Low-income mothers in the United States aren’t getting enough folate

NEWS

A majority of poor women in urban areas are still at risk of folic acid and folate deficiency, even with government-sanctioned mandatory fortifications, according to a study by researchers at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.

COMMENT

The problem of nutrient deficiency is far more serious and widespread than this study suggests. Across the world, even among those who make extra effort to eat a good diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, millions of people are obtaining insufficient amounts of not just folate but also a whole range of other micronutrients as well. This significantly increases their risk of developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and others.

One of the key contributory causes to this problem comes from the fact that the micronutrient content of our food has fallen substantially over the past decades. Independent studies conducted in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and many other countries have clearly shown that our food supply alone is no longer sufficient to guarantee optimum amounts of all the various micronutrients that are needed to ensure good health. This scientific evidence provides a powerful argument in favor of micronutrient supplementation.

To learn what you need to know when choosing a micronutrient supplement, we recommend you download and read this special free brochure published by our Foundation.