Nutritional Status of Slovene Adults in the Post-COVID-19 Epidemic Period

Abstract

Background: Monitoring nutritional status data in the adult population is extremely important to mediate their health status. Unfortunately, for Slovenia (2.1 million European Union citizens), data on the body composition status of the general adult population are currently rare or nonexistent in scientific journals. Furthermore, dietary intake was last assessed several years before the COVID-19 epidemic period. Methods: We randomly recruited 844 adult Slovenes from all regions of Slovenia. The primary aim of the cross-sectional study was to examine body composition status (using a medically approved electrical bioimpedance monitor) during the post-COVID-19 epidemic period. In addition, we assessed dietary intake (using a standardized food frequency questionnaire) and compared the obesity propensity for both sexes separately using the body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage (FAT%) obesity classification of the World Health Organization. Results: Regarding BMI classification, 43% of the whole sample was overweight (28%) or obese (15%), and there were more older adults than adults (64% vs. 42%, p < 0.001). The average FAT% of adult females and males was 26.9% and 19.5% (p < 0.001), respectively, while for older adult females and males, it was 32.7% and 23% (p < 0.001). In addition, a comparison of the proportions of obese people between the two cut-off obesity classifications (BMI vs. FAT%) showed a significantly underestimated proportion of obese female participants based on BMI classification (13% vs. 17%, p = 0.005). In terms of the dietary intake of the assessed nutrients in comparison with the national dietary reference values for energy and nutrient intake, the participants, on average, had lower intake than the recommended values for carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins C, D and E (for males) and calcium, and higher intake than the recommended values for total fat, saturated fatty acids, cholesterol, sodium and chloride (for males). Conclusions: The results urgently call for the need to not only improve the overall national nutritional status but also for regular national monitoring of body composition and dietary intake statuses.

The Activities of the Slovenian Strategic Council for Nutrition 2023/24 to Improve the Health of the Slovenian Population and the Sustainability of Food: A Narrative Review

“…Menu 2017/2018) involving 780 Slovenian adults aged 18 to 64 years and older adults aged 65 to 74 years, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 59% (68% of males and 50% of females) and 74% (79% of males and 73% of females), respectively [87,102]. More recently, during the post-COVID-19 pandemic period, researchers conducted a study among 844 adults aged 18 to 81 years and estimated that 43% were either overweight or obese (42% of adults (53% of males and 35% of females) and 64% of older adults (78% of males and 55% of females)) [103].…”