Micronutrient (MN) deficiencies can produce a broad array of adverse health and functional
outcomes. Young, preschool children and women of reproductive age in low-and middle-
income countries are most affected by these deficiencies, but the true magnitude of the
problems and their related disease burdens remain uncertain because of the dearth of
reliable biomarker information on population MN status. The reasons for this lack of
information include a limited understanding by policy makers of the importance of MNs for …