Prevalence of Inadequacy of Micronutrient Intake in a Sample of Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Female Adolescents in New Zealand

Appropriately planned vegetarian diets can be nutritionally adequate; however, without careful planning, some nutrients may be at risk of inadequacy, especially in adolescence, when energy and nutrient requirements are higher relative to body mass. The aim of this study was to compare intakes of at-...

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Main Authors: Chaya Ranasinghe, Meredith Peddie, Claire Smith, Tessa Scott, Elizabeth Fleming, Kirsten Webster, Rachel Brown, Jillian Haszard, Lisa Houghton
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-03-01
Series:Medical Sciences Forum
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9992/18/1/29
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author Chaya Ranasinghe
Meredith Peddie
Claire Smith
Tessa Scott
Elizabeth Fleming
Kirsten Webster
Rachel Brown
Jillian Haszard
Lisa Houghton
author_facet Chaya Ranasinghe
Meredith Peddie
Claire Smith
Tessa Scott
Elizabeth Fleming
Kirsten Webster
Rachel Brown
Jillian Haszard
Lisa Houghton
author_sort Chaya Ranasinghe
collection DOAJ
description Appropriately planned vegetarian diets can be nutritionally adequate; however, without careful planning, some nutrients may be at risk of inadequacy, especially in adolescence, when energy and nutrient requirements are higher relative to body mass. The aim of this study was to compare intakes of at-risk micronutrients in a group of New Zealand female adolescents consuming vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets. A cross-sectional Survey of Nutrition, Dietary Assessment and Lifestyle (SuNDiAL project) was conducted among females aged 15 to 18 years, recruited from across NZ. Data were collected via an online questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements were taken to determine body mass index (BMI; kg/m<sup>2</sup>). Energy and dietary intake of calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, folate, vitamin A and vitamin B12 (B12) were determined using two 24 h recalls, adjusted to reflect usual intake. In total, 254 adolescents provided dietary intake data, comprising 38 self-identified vegetarians. The majority of the participants were NZ European and Other (NZEO) (78%), lived in neighbourhoods of low to medium deprivation (81.5%), and were a healthy weight (66.5%). Across the total sample, more than 80% did not meet the recommended intake for calcium, with values of 71% for selenium and 58% for folate. Dietary intakes among vegetarians were significantly lower than non-vegetarians, resulting in a higher prevalence of inadequacy for zinc (42% vs. 19%), selenium (92% vs. 67%) and vitamin B12 (40% vs. 16%), respectively. Vegetarians were six times more likely to have inadequate selenium intake, at a three-times-greater risk of having inadequate zinc intake and four times more likely to not meet the recommendations for B12 intake compared to non-vegetarians. In conclusion, adolescents had inadequate intakes of calcium, selenium and folate, whereas vegetarian adolescents had suboptimal intakes of selenium, zinc and B12, leading to an increased risk of deficiency.
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spelling doaj.art-4db107edd5704bb3961289fd6a84e1d92023-12-22T14:28:36ZengMDPI AGMedical Sciences Forum2673-99922023-03-011812910.3390/msf2023018029Prevalence of Inadequacy of Micronutrient Intake in a Sample of Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Female Adolescents in New ZealandChaya Ranasinghe0Meredith Peddie1Claire Smith2Tessa Scott3Elizabeth Fleming4Kirsten Webster5Rachel Brown6Jillian Haszard7Lisa Houghton8Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New ZealandDepartment of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New ZealandDepartment of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New ZealandDepartment of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New ZealandDepartment of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New ZealandDepartment of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New ZealandDepartment of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New ZealandBiostatistics Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New ZealandDepartment of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New ZealandAppropriately planned vegetarian diets can be nutritionally adequate; however, without careful planning, some nutrients may be at risk of inadequacy, especially in adolescence, when energy and nutrient requirements are higher relative to body mass. The aim of this study was to compare intakes of at-risk micronutrients in a group of New Zealand female adolescents consuming vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets. A cross-sectional Survey of Nutrition, Dietary Assessment and Lifestyle (SuNDiAL project) was conducted among females aged 15 to 18 years, recruited from across NZ. Data were collected via an online questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements were taken to determine body mass index (BMI; kg/m<sup>2</sup>). Energy and dietary intake of calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, folate, vitamin A and vitamin B12 (B12) were determined using two 24 h recalls, adjusted to reflect usual intake. In total, 254 adolescents provided dietary intake data, comprising 38 self-identified vegetarians. The majority of the participants were NZ European and Other (NZEO) (78%), lived in neighbourhoods of low to medium deprivation (81.5%), and were a healthy weight (66.5%). Across the total sample, more than 80% did not meet the recommended intake for calcium, with values of 71% for selenium and 58% for folate. Dietary intakes among vegetarians were significantly lower than non-vegetarians, resulting in a higher prevalence of inadequacy for zinc (42% vs. 19%), selenium (92% vs. 67%) and vitamin B12 (40% vs. 16%), respectively. Vegetarians were six times more likely to have inadequate selenium intake, at a three-times-greater risk of having inadequate zinc intake and four times more likely to not meet the recommendations for B12 intake compared to non-vegetarians. In conclusion, adolescents had inadequate intakes of calcium, selenium and folate, whereas vegetarian adolescents had suboptimal intakes of selenium, zinc and B12, leading to an increased risk of deficiency.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9992/18/1/29adolescentvegetarianmicronutrientsdietary intakenutrient adequacy
spellingShingle Chaya Ranasinghe
Meredith Peddie
Claire Smith
Tessa Scott
Elizabeth Fleming
Kirsten Webster
Rachel Brown
Jillian Haszard
Lisa Houghton
Prevalence of Inadequacy of Micronutrient Intake in a Sample of Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Female Adolescents in New Zealand
Medical Sciences Forum
adolescent
vegetarian
micronutrients
dietary intake
nutrient adequacy
title Prevalence of Inadequacy of Micronutrient Intake in a Sample of Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Female Adolescents in New Zealand
title_full Prevalence of Inadequacy of Micronutrient Intake in a Sample of Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Female Adolescents in New Zealand
title_fullStr Prevalence of Inadequacy of Micronutrient Intake in a Sample of Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Female Adolescents in New Zealand
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence of Inadequacy of Micronutrient Intake in a Sample of Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Female Adolescents in New Zealand
title_short Prevalence of Inadequacy of Micronutrient Intake in a Sample of Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Female Adolescents in New Zealand
title_sort prevalence of inadequacy of micronutrient intake in a sample of vegetarian and non vegetarian female adolescents in new zealand
topic adolescent
vegetarian
micronutrients
dietary intake
nutrient adequacy
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9992/18/1/29
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