Folate fortification program a success

The United States implemented mandatory folic acid fortification of enriched cereal grains in 1998. Although several studies have documented the resulting decrease in anemia and folate deficiency, to our knowledge, no one has determined the prevalence of folate-deficiency anemia after fortification.

Researchers in an upcoming American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study determined the prevalence of folate deficiency and folate-deficiency anemia within a sample of 30,239 black and white subjects living in the United States. Overall, the prevalence of folate-deficiency anemia was less than 0.1%.

The data suggest that, after mandatory folic acid fortification, the prevalence of folate-deficiency anemia is nearly nonexistent in a community-dwelling population in the United States.

Bonnie:  This is a public health victory like we have not seen in recent memory with regard to nutrition. And boy, do we need it!