What you may not know is that many people don’t get enough of 7 key nutrients

Nutrients such as iron and calcium are essential for blood and bone health. But a new study shows that more than half of the world's population doesn't get enough of these nutrients and five other nutrients that are also critical to human health.

A study published in The Lancet Global Health on August 29 found that more than 5 billion people do not consume enough iodine, vitamin E or calcium. More than 4 billion people consume insufficient amounts of iron, riboflavin, folate and vitamin C.

"Our study is a big step forward," study co-lead author Christopher Free, Ph.D., a research associate at UC Santa Barbara's Institute of Marine Science and the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, said in a statement said the press release. Free is also an expert in human nutrition.

Free added, "This is not only because it provides the first estimates of inadequate micronutrient intake for 34 age and sex groups in nearly every country, but also because it makes these methods and results easily accessible to researchers and practitioners."

According to the new study, past studies have assessed micronutrient deficiencies or insufficient availability of foods containing these nutrients around the world, but there have not been any global intake estimates based on nutrient requirements.

For these reasons, the research team estimated the prevalence of inadequate intake of 15 micronutrients in 185 countries, representing 99.3% of the population. They reached this conclusion through modeling - applying "a globally harmonized set of age- and sex-specific nutritional requirements" to data from the 2018 Global Diet Database, which provides photos based on individual surveys, household surveys and national food supply data. Input estimate.

The authors also found differences between men and women. Women are more likely than men to have inadequate intakes of iodine, vitamin B12, iron and selenium. Men, on the other hand, don't get enough magnesium, zinc, thiamine, niacin and vitamins A, B6 and C.
Regional differences are also evident. Insufficient intakes of riboflavin, folate, vitamins B6 and B12 are particularly severe in India, while calcium intake is most severe in South and East Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and the Pacific.

"These results are concerning," study co-author Ty Beal, a senior technical specialist at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition in Switzerland, said in a press release. “Most people – even more than previously thought, in all regions and in countries at all income levels – do not consume enough of multiple essential micronutrients. These gaps harm health outcomes and limit global of human potential.”

Dr. Lauren Sastre, assistant professor of nutritional sciences and director of the Farm to Clinic program at East Carolina University in North Carolina, said by email that while the findings are unique, they are consistent with other, smaller, country-specific studies. The findings have been consistent over the years.

"This is a valuable study," added Sastre, who was not involved in the study.

Assessing global eating habits issues

This study has several important limitations. First, because the study did not include the intake of supplements and fortified foods, which could theoretically increase some people's intake of certain nutrients, some of the shortcomings found in the study are It might not be that serious in real life.

But data from the United Nations Children's Fund shows that 89% of people around the world consume iodized salt. "Thus, iodine may be the only nutrient for which inadequate intake from food is grossly overestimated,".

"My only criticism is that they ignored potassium on the grounds that there are no standards," Sastre said. "We Americans are definitely getting the (recommended daily allowance) of potassium, but most people don't get nearly enough. And it needs to be balanced with sodium. Some people get too much sodium, And not getting enough potassium, which is critical for blood pressure (and) heart health."

Additionally, the researchers said there is little more complete information on individual dietary intake globally, especially data sets that are nationally representative or include intakes over more than two days. This scarcity limits researchers' ability to validate their model estimates.

Although the team measured inadequate intake, there is no data on whether this leads to nutritional deficiencies that would need to be diagnosed by a doctor or nutritionist based on blood tests and/or symptoms.

A more nutritious diet

Nutritionists and doctors can help you determine whether you are getting enough of certain vitamins or minerals or if a deficiency is demonstrated through blood testing.

"Micronutrients play a key role in cell function, immunity (and) metabolism," Sastre said. "Yet we are not eating fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains - where these foods come from. We need to follow the American Heart Association's recommendation, 'eat the rainbow.'"

Here is a list of the importance of the seven nutrients with the lowest global intake and some of the foods they are rich in:

1.Calcium
● Important for strong bones and overall health
● Found in dairy products and fortified soy, almond or rice substitutes; dark leafy green vegetables; tofu; sardines; salmon; tahini; fortified orange or grapefruit juice

2. Folic acid

● Important for the formation of red blood cells and cell growth and function, especially during pregnancy
● Contained in dark green vegetables, beans, peas, lentils and fortified grains such as bread, pasta, rice and cereals

3. Iodine

● Important for thyroid function and bone and brain development
● Found in fish, seaweed, shrimp, dairy products, eggs and iodized salt

4.Iron

● Essential for delivering oxygen to the body and for growth and development
● Found in oysters, duck, beef, sardines, crab, lamb, fortified cereals, spinach, artichokes, beans, lentils, dark leafy greens and potatoes

5.Magnesium

● Important for muscle and nerve function, blood sugar, blood pressure, and production of protein, bone, and DNA
● Found in legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, green leafy vegetables and fortified cereals

6. Niacin

● Important for the nervous system and digestive system
● Found in beef, chicken, tomato sauce, turkey, brown rice, pumpkin seeds, salmon and fortified cereals

7. Riboflavin

● Important for food energy metabolism, immune system, and healthy skin and hair
● Found in eggs, dairy products, meat, grains and green vegetables

Although many nutrients can be obtained from food, the nutrients obtained are very small and insufficient to support people's health needs, so many people turn their attention to dietary supplements.

But some people have a question: Do they need to take dietary supplements to eat well?

The great philosopher Hegel once said that "existence is reasonable", and the same is true for dietary supplements. Existence has its role and its value. If the diet is unreasonable and nutritional imbalance occurs, dietary supplements may be a powerful supplement to the poor dietary structure. Many dietary supplements have made great contributions to maintaining physical health. For example, vitamin D and calcium can promote bone health and prevent osteoporosis; folic acid can effectively prevent fetal neural tube defects.

You may ask, "Now that we have no shortage of food and drink, how can we be deficient in nutrients?" Here you may be underestimating the connotation of malnutrition. Not eating enough (called a nutritional deficiency) can lead to malnutrition, as can eating too much (known as overnutrition), and being picky about food (known as a nutritional imbalance) can also lead to malnutrition.

Relevant data show that residents have sufficient intake of the three major nutrients of protein, fat, and carbohydrates in dietary nutrition, but deficiencies of some nutrients such as calcium, iron, vitamin A, and vitamin D still exist. The adult malnutrition rate is 6.0%, and the anemia rate among residents aged 6 and above is 9.7%. The anemia rates among children aged 6 to 11 and pregnant women are 5.0% and 17.2% respectively.

Therefore, taking dietary supplements at reasonable doses based on your own needs on the basis of a balanced diet has its value in preventing and treating malnutrition, so do not refuse them blindly. But don’t rely too much on dietary supplements, because currently no dietary supplement can completely detect and fill the gaps in a poor dietary structure. For ordinary people, a reasonable and balanced diet is always the most important.