Interventions for anemia prevention and control should incorporate an understanding of the biology as well as the assessment of the severity, magnitude, and prevalence of anemia in clinical and public health practice. The biological causes of anemia are complex and multifactorial, calling for a multifaceted approach to its assessment and treatment.

Interventions to reduce anemia, however, fall broadly into two main categories:

1. Approaches that address anemia via clinical and public health interventions anemia (e.g., delayed cord clamping, malaria control, deworming)
2. Approaches that address nutrients alone (e.g., dietary diversification, biofortification, food fortification, supplementation with iron and/or other micronutrients).

The two types of approaches can be targeted to specific population groups at different stages of the life course—mothers (during pregnancy, postpartum, and lactation), infants, young children, and adolescents.

When examining potential interventions against anemia, one must consider several factors, including: genetic mutation prevalence, the role of infection/inflammation in the target population on intervention effectiveness, as well as nutrient delivery methods, bioavailability of nutrients in the context, and the safety of interventions. Nutritional interventions must also consider the broader context of sustainability within food systems, with a focus on cultural factors and indigenous conditions, as well as climate change and environmental factors.