Risk of Deficiency in Multiple Concurrent Micronutrients in Children and Adults in the United States

Abstract

Certain population sub-groups in the United States are vulnerable to micronutrient malnutrition. Nationally representative data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) describing the biochemical status of vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E, folate, and anemia, were aggregated to determine the overall risk of multiple concurrent deficiencies in U.S. children and adults (n = 15,030) aged >9 years. The prevalence of deficiency risk according to socio-demographic, life-stage, dietary supplement use, and dietary adequacy categories was investigated. Thirty-one percent of the U.S. population was at risk of at least one vitamin deficiency or anemia, with 23%, 6.3%, and 1.7% of the U.S. population at risk of deficiency in 1, 2, or 3–5 vitamins or anemia, respectively. A significantly higher deficiency risk was seen in women (37%), non-Hispanic blacks (55%), individuals from low income households (40%), or without a high school diploma (42%), and underweight (42%) or obese individuals (39%). A deficiency risk was most common in women 19–50 years (41%), and pregnant or breastfeeding women (47%). Dietary supplement non-users had the highest risk of any deficiency (40%), compared to users of full-spectrum multivitamin-multimineral supplements (14%) and other dietary supplement users (28%). Individuals consuming an adequate diet based on the Estimated Average Requirement had a lower risk of any deficiency (16%) than those with an inadequate diet (57%). Nearly one-third of the U.S. population is at risk of deficiency in at least one vitamin, or has anemia.

Optimal Nutritional Status for a Well-Functioning Immune System Is an Important Factor to Protect against Viral Infections

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Supplementation in mushroom crops and its impact on yield and quality

“…Furthermore, supplementation of substrates in A. bisporus with trace elements has been described as reliable for the production of fruiting bodies enriched with Se, Cu and Zn (Werner and Beelman 2002 ; Rzymski et al 2017 ), micronutrients that frequently are deficient in the human diet (Bird et al 2017 ).…”

Plasma metabolomics of children with aberrant serum lipids and inadequate micronutrient intake

“…These micronutrient inadequacies could have stemmed (in part) from the fact that only 26% of children met recommended daily fruit intake, and only 8% met daily vegetable intake according to recommendations set by the American Heart Association for children aged 9 to 13 years [ 51 ] ( Table 1 ). It is not possible to conclude from the current study if these deficiencies are a phenomena specific Northern Colorado children, however, previous reports have indicated that approximately a third of the U.S. population (including children and adults) are at risk for micronutrient deficiencies [ 52 ]. Oxidation of LDL-cholesterol, an initiating step in atherosclerosis, is often concurrent with the production of inflammatory cytokines and decreased nitric oxide levels which lead to vasoconstriction and compromised vascular structure [ 22 ].…”