The micronutrient initiative.

This is a campaigning video to promote awareness of the Micronutrient Initiative (MI). The MI is an international programme which aims to eliminate the 'hidden hunger' of micronutrient deficiency. Many people in the developing world have enough food to eat, but are not getting all the vitamins and minerals they need from their diet. The film details the effects of the 3 most common deficiencies: lack of iodine, iron and vitamin A. Iron deficiency makes victims lethargic and weak and is especially dangerous for pregnant women. Without iodine, people can contract goitre, and children may be born with mental and physical disabilities. Vitamin A deficiency leaves people with a much-weakened immune system and can cause blindness. The film stresses that these deficiencies are avoidable. For example, simply adding iodine to salt can remove the risk of iodine deficiency, whilst educating people about nutrition can enable them to feed themselves better. The film ends by urging for action locally and internationally to eliminate the problem. Footage includes (in various developing world countries) Zimbabwean girl talking about her diet, life, family and hopes. Pregnant women undergoing health checks. Women and children in maternity wards. Women working in the fields. Women cooking and eating. Young bride handing choicest food to husband. Factories making iodised salt. Nutrition education classes. People ill with micronutrient deficiencies: goitre, mental/physical disabilities, night blindness and anaemia. The film is closed captioned throughout: all dialogue is subtitled and all the points made are summarised onscreen.