An Overview of Hidden Hunger and MI's Efforts in the Americas

Over recent years countries in the Americas have made great progress in reducing hunger and under-nutrition, and the region now produces three times as much food as its population needs.  Many countries have been so successful in tackling hidden hunger that iodine and vitamin A deficiency are no longer considered to be serious public health problems.   Some countries recorded a drop of 50% or more in the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency.  Yet 53 million people still lack enough food, and 16% of children under 5 years are chronically undernourished.  This situation reflects both the income inequalities in the region, and a history of inadequate political will to tackle the issues.  Policy across much of the region now needs to give priority to reducing zinc and iron deficiency among young children; to reducing anemia among mothers; and to consolidating deficiency control programs, including the surveillance of vitamin A and iodine deficiencies.  However some countries – particularly Haiti, Guatemala, and Bolivia – still have much ground to make up, and it is here that MI currently focuses most of its efforts.  

Several countries have made sustained efforts to defeat vitamin A deficiency by a combination of fortifying commonly consumed foods, and providing supplements.  Fortifying sugar and, in some cases, cereals started in the 1970s, and involved a major commitment by industry, legislation by governments, and many years of advocacy and assistance from international agencies.   Since 2004 MI has also worked with the public and private sectors and WFP to establish oil fortification with vitamin A in Bolivia.  By 2007 approximately 34 million litres per year of vitamin A fortified oil, 60% of the national supply, was being produced and marketed commercially as a result.  Since 1998 MI has ensured that countries with higher mortality rates have an adequate supply of vitamin A capsules, and has helped to improve systems for their distribution in the three worst affected countries.