Prevention of Malnutrition in Iran: 1. Vitamins.

The over-reliance on bread in the Iranian diet may l ead to relative deficiencies of ribof lavin, vitamin,A , and v i t ami n , C, with housebound persons also suffering from vi t amin D def i cienc y . The increased consumption of ani ma l pr oduc t s , fruit and vegetables should be pr e s c r l - bed . Economic progress could help t o improve die t , and 1S probably already doi ng s o . Increased nutrit ion educatien at all l evels is e s s e nt i a l , especially during teac her trai ning , s o t ha t t h e information would r e a ch schoolchi ldren . Even medical doctors r e ceiv e a ve ry short period of nutrition training so that it i s not surprising that ot he r sections of t he population a re a l so poorly i nformed . In t he me a n t i ~e f vegetable o i l c oul d be v itamini zed, and research could aim at discovering way s to enrich o t he r f oods als o . Patients at risk can be glven periodic i nj e c t i ons o f v i t ami ns A and 0, o r they may take 1 capsule o f "Unicap Hultivitaminll or 1 teaspoonsu l o f IlVi p l e x" daily or eve r y two day s .