DEVELOPMENT REPORT - Iron Sprinkles Seen as a Way to Aid Chi

DEVELOPMENT REPORT - Iron Sprinkles Seen as a Way to Aid Children's Health in Developing Countries
By Cynthia Kirk

Broadcast: Monday, June 06, 2005

I'm Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Development Report.

The World Health Organization says iron deficiency is the most common nutritional¹ disorder² in the world. The W.H.O. estimates that as many as eighty percent of people may not be getting enough iron in their diet. Iron deficiency and anemia³ are especially common among children in developing countries.

 
 
The body needs iron to manufacture hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to body tissues. The body also needs iron to produce several enzymes⁴ necessary for muscle, the brain and the body's defenses to work correctly.

Iron is stored in bone marrow⁵ and two organs, the spleen and liver. Iron deficiency is the main cause of anemia. A person becomes anemic when iron levels are severely⁶ reduced.

Adults who do not get enough iron get tired more quickly. And there are special risks for pregnant women. But risks for children can be much more serious, especially in the first two years of life. Iron deficiency can harm physical and mental development.

Health experts say iron deficiency is the most common nutritional problem that is preventable. But foods with a lot of iron, such as meats, are often too costly⁷ for poor families. And many children do not like the taste of iron supplements.

A Canadian scientist, Doctor Stanley Zlotkin, says he has a solution. Iron and other minerals necessary for good health can be processed into very small particles. These sprinkles are covered with a neutral food product to hide the taste. Doctor Zlotkin says the mixture can be easily added to food and mixed together.

He says the sprinkles come in the amount needed to meet a child's daily need for iron at a cost of three cents or less a day. There is also vitamin C, which helps the body process iron, and vitamin A, zinc⁸, and folic acid.

Sprinkles are already in limited use. Doctor Zlotkin says his goal is to expand the use of sprinkles in the nutrition policy of all developing countries. Earlier this year, Doctor Zlotkin and other scientists reported on successful tests in West Africa. The Public Library of Science published the findings. Internet users can read the report free of charge at publiclibraryofscience -- all one word -- dot o-r-g.

This VOA Special English Development Report was written by Cynthia Kirk.  I'm Gwen Outen.

1 nutritional   

adj.营养的，滋养的

参考例句：

• A diet lacking in nutritional value will not keep a person healthy.缺乏营养价值的饮食不能维持人的健康。
• The labels on food products give a lot of information about their nutritional content.食品上的标签提供很多关于营养成分的信息。

2 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

3 anemia   

n.贫血，贫血症

参考例句：

• The doctors analyzed the blood sample for anemia. 医生们分析了贫血的血样。
• I was put on iron tablets for my anemia.我曾因贫血吃补铁药片。

4 enzymes   

n. 酶，酵素

参考例句：

• It was said that washing powders containing enzymes remove stains more efficiently. 据说加酶洗衣粉除污更有效。
• Among the enzymes which are particularly effective are pepsin, papain. 在酶当中特别有效的是胃朊酶、木瓜酶。

5 marrow   

n.骨髓；精华；活力

参考例句：

• It was so cold that he felt frozen to the marrow. 天气太冷了，他感到寒冷刺骨。
• He was tired to the marrow of his bones.他真是累得筋疲力尽了。

6 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

7 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

8 zinc   

n.锌；vt.在...上镀锌

参考例句：

• Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。
• Zinc is used to protect other metals from corrosion.锌被用来保护其他金属不受腐蚀。