Upcoming webinar: Large-scale food fortification – an underutilized strategy for addressing zinc deficiency

Date: December 5

Time: 12 noon EDT | 5 pm GMT | 8 pm EAT

Over the past four years, IZiNCG’s Zinc Fortification Task Force has generated evidence and advocacy materials on large-scale food fortification (LSFF) with zinc. This webinar will showcase work undertaken by the Task Force, and discuss country experiences and actions.

Zinc is an essential nutrient for immune function, child health and development, and reproductive health. Based on available data, zinc deficiency is estimated to be a public health problem in 40 countries, concentrated primarily in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia

LSFF is one of the most scalable, sustainable, and cost-effective tools available to reduce micronutrient deficiencies and improve nutrition worldwide. Recent publications have demonstrated that LSFF with zinc is effective, safe and cost-effective. However, at present, LSFF with zinc is an underutilized strategy for addressing zinc deficiency in countries where zinc deficiency is a public health problem.

Join us for presentations on the global state of zinc deficiency, the evidence behind zinc fortification as a strategy to address zinc deficiency, the current zinc fortification landscape, the potential impact of scaling up food fortification with zinc, and priority actions countries can take. The webinar will conclude with a panel discussion about country experiences. Register here.

Moderator
Dr Mduduzi Mbuya | Director, Knowledge Leadership, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition

Speakers and panelists
Dr Christine McDonald | Director of IZiNCG and Associate Professor, University of California, San Francisco
Dr Mari Skar Manger | Deputy Director of IZiNCG, University of California, San Francisco
Dr Ryan Wessells | Associate Project Scientist, University of California, Davis
Mr Frederick Grant | Senior Program Officer, Nutrition, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Ethiopia
Dr Ndèye Fatou Ndiaye | Coordinator of Senegalese Committee for Food Fortification (COSFAM), Ministry of Industry and Industrial Development, Government of Senegal
Mr Alex Marco Ongla Ndjebayi | Project Coordinator, Helen Keller International Cameroon

This webinar is kindly supported by the International Zinc Association and kindly hosted by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition. Everyone who registers will receive a recording of the webinar.