#FFI20: Lyall Thurston

Regional Councillor of New Zealand and Parent Advocate

FFI: How did you become interested in nutrition?

Thurston: My eldest son was born in 1983 with spina bifida and hydrocephalus.

FFI: What inspired you to become involved with food fortification?

Thurston: The science and research that clearly proved the correlation between folic acid fortification and the lessening of the incidence of neural tube defects (NTDs) in newborn babies.

FFI: How is your country prioritizing fortification?

Thurston: New Zealand is a major food producing country. I’ve lobbied successive New Zealand governments for nearly 40 years to fortify flour with folic acid as a simple, effective, and inexpensive public health initiative to lessen the incidence of NTDs in newborn babies. New Zealand will introduce mandatory folic acid fortification to non-organic, bread-making flour in 2023.

FFI: What health outcomes do you expect fortification to improve in your country?

Thurston: Mandatory fortification in New Zealand will greatly enhance women and children’s health and lessen the incidence of NTDs in babies.

FFI: In your experience, what are the main components to a successful fortification program?

Thurston: A team effort. The New Zealand campaign was a long, protracted, collective effort which drew on support, relentless encouragement, and endless optimism from some of the greatest child health advocates, communicators, researchers, and members of medical and disability organizations worldwide.

FFI: What are the greatest challenges you have encountered in planning or implementing fortification programs? And how did you address those challenges?

Thurston: Pushback from successive New Zealand governments. Endless lobbying and relentless perseverance finally won the day.

FFI: What can we do as a society to continue strengthening fortification efforts?

Thurston: Promote the benefits of fortification by using the talents of respected individuals and those with ‘lived’ experiences worldwide.

This interview is part of the #FFI20 Champions campaign, a celebration of fortification heroes who have helped build a smarter, stronger, and healthier world by strengthening fortification programs over the past 20 years. To read interviews with other champions, visit the #FFI20 Champions campaign homepage.