Suggested actions for iron deficiency control in Indonesia

In Indonesia, four target groups were identified for interventions to reduce iron deficiency: infants, schoolchildren, adolescents, and adult women (female employees, pregnant and lactating women). Adequate strategies require not only curative but also preventive actions, need to reach all major risk groups in the society, need components to improve compliance, and be feasible in terms of costs and efforts. Preventive measures should be given more priority so that curative actions can be reduced. It cannot be expected that iron deficiency is alleviated with only one measure. Therefore a set of actions need to be implemented which require not only the support of the government but all parts of the society. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.