Malnutrition is not only an urgent global health issue, but also an impediment to productivity, economic growth and poverty eradication. It is estimated that 32.0% of the global burden of disease would be removed by eliminating malnutrition, including micronutrient deficiency.^1,2 According to Lindsay et al.,³ micronutrient malnutrition (MNM) is caused by monotonous diet resulting in low micronutrient intake and poor bioavailability, especially of minerals, low intake of animal-source foods, low prevalence of breastfeeding, low micronutrient density of complementary foods, increased physiological demands for growth during pregnancy and lactation, increased demand because of acute infection (especially if infection episodes are frequent), chronic infection (e.g. tuberculosis, malaria, HIV and AIDS) and disease (e.g. cancer), poor general nutritional status, in particular, protein–energy malnutrition and malabsorption because of diarrhoea.

It is also caused by the presence of intestinal parasites (e.g. Giardia lamblia, hookworms), increased excretion (e.g. because of schistosomiasis), seasonal variations in food availability, food shortages, social deprivation, illiteracy, low education, poor economic status and poverty.⁴ It is for this reason that in 1990, 189 United Nations’ member states committed to a set of eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) comprising 18 targets that were later adopted in 2000 by the United Nations as part of the Millennium Declaration. The first MDG is directly related to eradicating hunger and malnutrition. But many of the MDGs such as improving education; reducing child mortality; improving maternal health; and combating HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases all require good nutritional status if they are to be achieved efficiently.⁵

At the national level, nearly 4 out of 10 women knew about the food fortification legislation. This was true in all areas of residence irrespective of age of the child as well as all provinces.⁶ In 2002, the World Health Organisation⁷ report identified iodine, iron, vitamin A and zinc deficiencies as being among the world’s most serious health risk factors. Data from the study done by Labadarios et al.⁶ support these findings by highlighting that micronutrients such as zinc, iodine, vitamin A and iron remain a problem in South Africa even after fortification has been introduced. Available statistics at one of the local clinic in Nkowankowa where the researcher was based for his community nutrition practicum revealed a high prevalence of MNM-related problems among other nutrition problems affecting children under 5 years of age. This motivated the researcher to pursue a study on the knowledge of women about food fortification given the high rate of micronutrient deficiency cases in Nkowakowa township.

The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of food fortification in women of child-bearing age in Nkowankowa township.

In order to attain the aim of the study, the following objectives were developed:

to determine the socio-demographic characteristics of women in Nkowankowa and

When participants were asked to list food products that are fortified in South Africa, 54.0% correctly listed maize, flour, salt and bread. Furthermore, when participants were asked about nutrients added to food, about 56.9% of participants said vitamin A, 29.2% said carbohydrates and 8.3% said minerals. Of all the participants who were asked about the diseases addressed through food fortification programme, 70.8% indicated malnutrition, 15.2% indicated HIV and AIDS and 14.0% indicated chronic diseases. In response to their knowledge about the mandatory logo stamped on fortified food packages, participants were shown various logos to choose from; 57.0% of the participants managed to choose the correct logo.

Furthermore, about 204 (57.0%) participants were able to define food fortification correctly while 257 (72.0%) participants knew which foods are fortified as well as the benefits of food fortification programme. More than half (252 [70.0%]) of the participants knew that maize meal is one of the food vehicle used in South Africa. In addition, 257 (72.0%) participants knew that children above the age of 6 months are supposed to eat fortified foods and that fortified food improves our health. In order to infer the assessment of knowledge of the study participants, the researcher reviewed the responses of participants per question and considered the majority who answered correctly as having knowledge. Most of the questions were answered correctly by more than 50.0% of the participants. The researcher deduced that the study participants are knowledgeable on food fortification (see Table 4).

Marital status was included in the demographic data to check if single or married participants differ in terms of knowledge and our study showed that married women had more knowledge than single women. Most participants in this study (66.7%) had tertiary education and this could explain why they were knowledgeable about food fortification. Education provides knowledge and skills to encourage new behaviour and increase individual collective empowerment; it is the centre of social and economic development.^4,11 According to Shweta,¹² lack of knowledge of the dietary requirements and the nutritive value of different foods is an important contributory cause of widespread occurrence of malnutrition among vulnerable sections of the population in developing countries.

The study revealed that 44.4% of the participants were employed and 26.6% were self-employed and 23.8% were indicated to be students. About 15% of the employed workers were employed in financial institutions and retail shops such as fashion boutiques, supermarkets and furniture shops. About 29.4% were government employees. In contrast to UNICEF’s¹³ proportionate distribution of employed persons, our study shows that about 22.3% are paid employees, 57.2% are self-employed and 17.9% are unpaid family workers. Of those who are self-employed, women constitute about 62.0% with many of them never having attended school.

The most widely used media in this study were television, radio and newspaper. In South Africa, the Department of Health report 2004–2009 indicates that social marketing was deemed to be a critical aspect of the fortification programme. Significant funding was provided for the development of social marketing strategies and campaigns to drive consumer knowledge and demand for fortified foods. During 2000 and 2001, a broad advocacy campaign was launched through the media to sensitise and inform consumers about the prevalence and consequences of micronutrient deficiencies, the benefits of consuming fortified foods and to address any concerns they may have.⁸ The extent of the coverage in the rural areas for food fortification was regarded as an area of concern by consumer research.¹⁴ However, this seems to have had a positive effect for people in Nkowankowa township.

Data from the present study suggest that there is knowledge among the study participants, looking at responses of participants per question. The majority of participants know what is food fortification, how it benefits their health, age groups allowed to eat fortified food and identifying food vehicle used for food fortification. Participants having tertiary education and youth generally with high education were associated with better knowledge. Educated participants are likely to read newspaper, listen to a radio and watch current affairs on television. The majority of the study participants identified the food vehicles used for fortification. This is supported by the study done in South Africa by Labadarios et al.,⁶ where it is indicated that at the national level, nearly 4 out of 10 women knew about the food fortification legislation. This was true in all areas of residence, irrespective of the age of the participant, as well as across all provinces.

In addition, majority of the participants indicated that food fortification addresses malnutrition. Poverty, food insecurity and chronic malnutrition continue to pose significant threats to the health and well-being of South Africans, particularly women of child-bearing age and children. Malnutrition contributes up to 58% of death among children under 5 years of age.¹⁵ At the national level, stunting and underweight remain by far the most common nutritional disorders affecting almost 1 out of 10 children.¹³

Participants in this study managed to identify the correct logo from a list provided to them. The findings of the present study are supported by the National Food Consumption Survey study done by Labadarios et al.,⁶ where it was indicated that nationally just under one out of two women respondents included in the survey had previously seen the food fortification logo with the Eastern Cape having the lowest such exposure, but only one out of five women interpreted the logo correctly or had previously heard of the concept of food fortification. Furthermore, 8 out of 10 women nationally indicated that they would be looking for the fortification logo as well as reading the label of the food products that they buy to ensure that they were fortified. In order to sustain the elimination of MNM urged member states to include health promotion in their control strategies and this has proved beneficial in parts of South Africa. The wide use of the fortification logo in mandatory food items such as bread, flour and maize meal labels could be the main reason why participants in this study were able to identify it correctly from a list.⁶ Given the public health impact, the importance of eliminating micronutrients malnutrition and the consequences of its deficiency, it could theoretically be expected that consumers are informed and educated about food fortification.⁶ Furthermore, it has long been recognised that failure to inform and educate the public on MNM and how to address it is one of the reasons why food fortification programmes have been unsuccessful.

In order to infer the assessment of knowledge of the study participants, the researcher looked at responses of participants per question and considered the majority who answered correctly as having knowledge. Participants in this study had access to various sources of information from which they were likely to hear about food fortification. These included daily access to the Internet, watching television, reading magazines and listening to the radio in descending order.

With regard to participants knowledge about food fortification, they managed to define food fortification and identify its purpose and the correct logo used in the food packages. Likewise, participants were able to identify some micronutrients of public health added in the food products and a list of food products fortified in South Africa. Most of the questions were answered correctly by more than 50% of the participants. Therefore, we conclude that the study participants are knowledgeable on food fortification based on researcher discretion of individual responses to questions asked.

It is recommended that schools, health facilities, health professionals and the lay press be afforded a greater opportunity in impacting knowledge on the benefits of food fortification and fortified foods because it is evident from the present study that the source of information was mainly from media.

Notably, present efforts on the education of the public on aspects of food fortification appear to have been largely successful and should be continued and intensified. Continued and consistent message on the benefit of food fortification should be addressed to the public at large to improve on an already excellent coverage as part of the monitoring and evaluation programme on food fortification.