WHY FORTIFICATION?

Flour fortification is a simple, proven, low-cost way to stop anaemia

Flour fortification is a simple, proven, low-cost way to stop anaemia

Iron deficiency anaemia affects hundreds of millions in India. Fortification can help them thrive.

Iron deficiency anaemia affects hundreds of millions in India. Fortification can help them thrive.

WHY FORTIFICATION?

Flour fortification is a simple, proven, low-cost way to stop anaemia

Iron deficiency anaemia affects hundreds of millions in India. Fortification can help them thrive.

WHAT IS ANAEMIA?

A hidden hunger with a huge cost

A hidden hunger with a huge cost

A hidden hunger with a huge cost

Most people picture malnutrition as something visible, but the most widespread form of malnutrition has no obvious signs.


Iron deficiency anaemia occurs when there isn’t enough iron to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues and organs. As the cells become starved of oxygen, exhaustion sets in, development slows, and health complications can become life-threatening.


Anaemia is the most common micronutrient deficiency in the world. And in India, it has reached crisis proportions affecting 2 in 3 children under 5, and 1 in 2 pregnant women.

Most people picture malnutrition as something visible, but the most widespread form of malnutrition has no obvious signs.


Iron deficiency anaemia occurs when there isn’t enough iron to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues and organs. As the cells become starved of oxygen, exhaustion sets in, development slows, and health complications can become life-threatening.


Anaemia is the most common micronutrient deficiency in the world. And in India, it has reached crisis proportions affecting 2 in 3 children under 5, and 1 in 2 pregnant women.

Illustrated anaemia information panel

67% OF CHILDREN

67% OF CHILDREN

67% OF CHILDREN

Anaemia limits

children’s development

Anaemia limits

children’s development

Anaemia limits

children’s development

Anaemia impairs cognitive development in children, making it harder to learn, retain information, and perform throughout their education. The damage done in early childhood can follow a person for life.

Anaemia impairs cognitive development in children, making it harder to learn, retain information, and perform throughout their education. The damage done in early childhood can follow a person for life.

Anaemia impairs cognitive development in children, making it harder to learn, retain information, and perform throughout their education. The damage done in early childhood can follow a person for life.

52% OF PREGNANT WOMEN

52% OF PREGNANT WOMEN

52% OF PREGNANT WOMEN

Anaemia puts mothers at serious risk

Anaemia puts mothers at serious risk

Anaemia puts mothers at serious risk

Women with severe anaemia have double the risk of dying during or shortly after childbirth. In a country where more than half of pregnant women are anaemic, this is not a rare edge case, but an everyday reality.

Women with severe anaemia have double the risk of dying during or shortly after childbirth. In a country where more than half of pregnant women are anaemic, this is not a rare edge case, but an everyday reality.

Women with severe anaemia have double the risk of dying during or shortly after childbirth. In a country where more than half of pregnant women are anaemic, this is not a rare edge case, but an everyday reality.

397 MILLION+ PEOPLE

397 MILLION+ PEOPLE

397 MILLION+ PEOPLE

Anaemia drains energy, productivity, and potential

Anaemia drains energy, productivity, and potential

Anaemia drains energy, productivity, and potential

Chronic tiredness, fatigue, low mood and depressive symptoms are the daily experience of hundreds of millions of people living with iron deficiency. For working adults, this translates directly into reduced productivity and lower earning capacity.

Chronic tiredness, fatigue, low mood and depressive symptoms are the daily experience of hundreds of millions of people living with iron deficiency. For working adults, this translates directly into reduced productivity and lower earning capacity.

WHY FORTIFICATION?

WHY FORTIFICATION?

The good news?

The good news?

The good news?

The solution already exists.

The solution already exists.

The solution already exists.

Fortification is one of public health's greatest success stories. Iodised salt, folic acid in bread, and vitamin D in milk were all small additions to everyday foods that have since eliminated deficiency disorders across the world.

Fortification is one of public health's greatest success stories. Iodised salt, folic acid in bread, and vitamin D in milk were all small additions to everyday foods that have since eliminated deficiency disorders across the world.

Fortification is one of public health's greatest success stories. Iodised salt, folic acid in bread, and vitamin D in milk were all small additions to everyday foods that have since eliminated deficiency disorders across the world.

Wheat flour fortification follows the same proven principle to stop iron-deficiency anaemia, and the WHO endorses it as one of the most cost-effective nutritional interventions available.

Wheat flour fortification follows the same proven principle to stop iron-deficiency anaemia, and the WHO endorses it as one of the most cost-effective nutritional interventions available.

Wheat flour fortification follows the same proven principle to stop iron-deficiency anaemia, and the WHO endorses it as one of the most cost-effective nutritional interventions available.

HOW IT WORKS

HOW IT WORKS

A small change to flour can solve one of India’s biggest health crises

A small change to flour can solve one of India’s biggest health crises

A small change to flour can solve one of India’s biggest health crises

Flour is consumed daily by hundreds of millions of people across India, making it the ideal vehicle for delivering better nutrition at scale.

Flour is consumed daily by hundreds of millions of people across India, making it the ideal vehicle for delivering better nutrition at scale.

Flour is consumed daily by hundreds of millions of people across India, making it the ideal vehicle for delivering better nutrition at scale.

By partnering with flour mills to add the nutrients that prevent anaemia at a precise, consistent dose, Fortify Health improves the nutritional quality of flour that families are already buying, cooking and eating every day.

By partnering with flour mills to add the nutrients that prevent anaemia at a precise, consistent dose, Fortify Health improves the nutritional quality of flour that families are already buying, cooking and eating every day.

By partnering with flour mills to add the nutrients that prevent anaemia at a precise, consistent dose, Fortify Health improves the nutritional quality of flour that families are already buying, cooking and eating every day.

OUR WORK

1

1

Flour is fortified, hassle-free

Flour is fortified, hassle-free

Flour is fortified, hassle-free

We support mills to add iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 to wheat flour during the milling process at a precise, consistent dose that meets nutritional standards. The flour looks, tastes and cooks exactly the same.

We support mills to add iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 to wheat flour during the milling process at a precise, consistent dose that meets nutritional standards. The flour looks, tastes and cooks exactly the same.

We support mills to add iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 to wheat flour during the milling process at a precise, consistent dose that meets nutritional standards. The flour looks, tastes and cooks exactly the same.

2

2

Families purchase the same flour, but better

Families purchase the same flour, but better

Families purchase the same flour, but better

Fortified flour enters the same shops, markets, public health and supply chains families already use. No behaviour change needed, no extra cost to customers.

Fortified flour enters the same shops, markets, public health and supply chains families already use. No behaviour change needed, no extra cost to customers.

Fortified flour enters the same shops, markets, public health and supply chains families already use. No behaviour change needed, no extra cost to customers.

3

3

Health improves at scale

Health improves at scale

Health improves at scale

Meal by meal, iron levels rise. Children develop more fully. Mothers face safer pregnancies. Workers perform at their best. Regular consumption of fortified wheat flour reduces anaemia risk by approximately 30% across millions of people, simultaneously.

Meal by meal, iron levels rise. Children develop more fully. Mothers face safer pregnancies. Workers perform at their best. Regular consumption of fortified wheat flour reduces anaemia risk by approximately 30% across millions of people, simultaneously.

Meal by meal, iron levels rise. Children develop more fully. Mothers face safer pregnancies. Workers perform at their best. Regular consumption of fortified wheat flour reduces anaemia risk by approximately 30% across millions of people, simultaneously.

Fortify Health internal meta-analysis of Muthayya et al. (2012); Abizari et al. (2012); Bouhouch et al. (2016); Huong Thi Le (2006)

Fortify Health internal meta-analysis of Muthayya et al. (2012); Abizari et al. (2012); Bouhouch et al. (2016); Huong Thi Le (2006)

Fortify Health internal meta-analysis of Muthayya et al. (2012); Abizari et al. (2012); Bouhouch et al. (2016); Huong Thi Le (2006)

THE RESULT

THE RESULT

What happens when people get

the nutrients they need?

What happens when people get

the nutrients they need?

Evidence shows fortified flour means

better lives in four measurable ways.

Evidence shows fortified flour means

better lives in four measurable ways.

More mothers and newborns survive

More mothers and newborns survive

More mothers and newborns survive

Anaemia during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of life-threatening complications for both mothers and babies.

Improved iron intake among pregnant women reached by Fortify Health's programme is estimated to avert 3.2 neonatal deaths per 100,000 beneficiaries.

Anaemia during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of life-threatening complications for both mothers and babies.

Improved iron intake among pregnant women reached by Fortify Health's programme is estimated to avert 3.2 neonatal deaths per 100,000 beneficiaries.

Anaemia during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of life-threatening complications for both mothers and babies.

Improved iron intake among pregnant women reached by Fortify Health's programme is estimated to avert 3.2 neonatal deaths per 100,000 beneficiaries.

Children reach their potential

Children reach their potential

Children reach their potential

Better iron today means higher earning capacity, greater independence, and more opportunity tomorrow.


Evidence shows that averting anaemia in early life generates a 0.4% increase in future adult income for each year of anaemia averted.

Better iron today means higher earning capacity, greater independence, and more opportunity tomorrow.


Evidence shows that averting anaemia in early life generates a 0.4% increase in future adult income for each year of anaemia averted.

Better iron today means higher earning capacity, greater independence, and more opportunity tomorrow.


Evidence shows that averting anaemia in early life generates a 0.4% increase in future adult income for each year of anaemia averted.

Work is safer and more fruitful

Work is safer and more fruitful

Work is safer and more fruitful

For millions of working-age adults in physically demanding jobs, iron deficiency is a daily barrier to productivity and earning.


Fortified flour improves physical work capacity which translates directly into better performance, higher wages, and stronger livelihoods for families across India.

For millions of working-age adults in physically demanding jobs, iron deficiency is a daily barrier to productivity and earning.


Fortified flour improves physical work capacity which translates directly into better performance, higher wages, and stronger livelihoods for families across India.

For millions of working-age adults in physically demanding jobs, iron deficiency is a daily barrier to productivity and earning.


Fortified flour improves physical work capacity which translates directly into better performance, higher wages, and stronger livelihoods for families across India.

Fewer years lost to anaemia

Fewer years lost to anaemia

Fewer years lost to anaemia

Anaemia steals years of healthy life for hundreds of millions of people living with extreme fatigue, impaired concentration, and reduced physical capacity every day.


Fortify Health's programme is estimated to avert 105,000+ years lived with disability due to anaemia every year.

Anaemia steals years of healthy life for hundreds of millions of people living with extreme fatigue, impaired concentration, and reduced physical capacity every day.


Fortify Health's programme is estimated to avert 105,000+ years lived with disability due to anaemia every year.

Anaemia steals years of healthy life for hundreds of millions of people living with extreme fatigue, impaired concentration, and reduced physical capacity every day.


Fortify Health's programme is estimated to avert 105,000+ years lived with disability due to anaemia every year.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR IMPACT

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR IMPACT

MAKE YOUR IMPACT

MAKE YOUR IMPACT

MAKE YOUR IMPACT

The solution is simple.

The challenge is reaching everyone who needs it.

The solution is simple.

The challenge is reaching everyone who needs it.

The solution is simple.

The challenge is reaching everyone who needs it.

For hundreds of millions of people in India affected by anaemia and malnutrition, fortified flour is a simple solution for better health, stronger development, and a chance to live life at full potential.

For hundreds of millions of people in India affected by anaemia and malnutrition, fortified flour is a simple solution for better health, stronger development, and a chance to live life at full potential.

For hundreds of millions of people in India affected by anaemia and malnutrition, fortified flour is a simple solution for better health, stronger development, and a chance to live life at full potential.