Nutritional advice: natural folate sources |
Overall improvement of population's nutritional status Diet should provide all nutrients needed (38) |
Difficulty to change dietary habits Low amounts in foods and limited number of food sources (legumes, green leaf vegetables, etc.) Bioavailability and chemical stability of folates is questioned (39, 40) |
Pharmacological supplementation |
Target population specificity (e.g. women at childbearing age) (41, 42)Better dosage |
Lower adherence Depends on socio-economical status (9)Potentially higher risk of toxicity when combined with fortification practices (10) |
Mandatory fortification |
Reaches all population groups No need to change dietary habits Better cost-effectiveness (28, 40) |
Dosage is a function of serving size Risk of high intakes in untargeted population Different fortification ranges and laws across countries (43) |
Voluntary fortification |
Target consumption with marketing of products (e.g. breakfast cereals for children) (25)Consumption is a matter of food choice |
Different fortification levels depending on manufacturers and food groups (25)Higher costs Potentially high or insufficient intakes depending on consumption patterns/dietary habits (16) |