Comparison of micronutrient intakes from food with dietary reference values in a Lebanese adult sample

Abstract

Background: Micronutrients which include vitamins and minerals are present in small quantities in food and are essential in a healthy diet for disease prevention and well­ being. They enable the body to produce enzymes, hormones and other substances and provide a range of critical biological functions. Objective: The objective of this study was to quantify and compare the dietary intakes of 19 micronutrients to recommended micronutrient intakes, in order to identify inadequate/ excess micronutrient intakes among a sample of Lebanese adults. Subjects and methods: Dietary Intakes of individuals from different areas in Lebanon were assessed using the US National Institute of Health (NIH) diet history questionnaire, in a cross-sectional nutrition survey conducted between 2009 and 2011 on a convenience sample of 657 (259 males and 398 females) Lebanese adults aged 19-70 years. Mean/ median dietary intakes were calculated and then compared with the estimated average requirements (EARs)/ for some micronutrients and adequate intakes (Ais) for others, along with the tolerable upper level intakes (ULs) of the studied micronutrients to identify inadequate/ excess intakes, respectively. Results: In both genders and all age groups, mean intakes of vitamin D were significantly lower than the EAR, and mean calcium intakes were also lower than the EAR among females in the late adult age group. Mean potassium intakes among both genders and almost all age groups were higher than the AI. Furthermore mean intakes of magnesium and sodium were significantly higher than the EAR and AI, respectively, and also higher than the UL among all age groups of both genders. Conclusion: Certain vitamins and minerals with potentially significant health implications are under-recognized. These findings may provide a foundation for developing public health policy and regulatory decisions relating to fortification of essential foods with vitamins and minerals of concern and supplementation of individuals at risk of developing deficiencies or with deficiencies to ensure adequate consumption of micronutrients. Awareness campaigns should also be designed and implemented to increase awareness related to dietary sources of micronutrients and the potentially serious health implications associated with their deficiencies. Further research should be employed on different groups such as children, pregnant women and the elderly.