Folic acid campaign wins award

Citation

(1999), "Folic acid campaign wins award", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 99 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.1999.01799bab.001

Folic acid campaign wins award

Folic acid campaign wins award

This campaign run by the Health Education Authority and funded by the Department of Health has been awarded the Health for All certificate for the UK to commemorate the WHO's 50th Anniversary. The three year health promotion campaign costing £2.3 million aimed to raise the awareness amongst women of the importance of taking folic acid before and until the 12th week of pregnancy to reduce the risk of their baby being born with spina bifida or other defects of the neural tube. Almost half of all women in England are now aware of these benefits of folic acid. The HEA has worked in partnership with doctors and nurses, food producers, shops, schools and the media to ensure that the folic acid message reaches current and future generations of women and is communicated through a variety of different channels to reach women in all corners of our society. At least 500 pregnancies each year are affected by neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Eating foods fortified with folic acid, such as some breakfast cereals and breads, eating foods which are naturally rich in folic acid such as leafy green vegetables and taking a daily 400 microgram folic acid supplement from the time they stop using contraception until the 12th week of pregnancy can reduce this risk.