RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Present study aimed to assess potential health risk in Slovenian adolescents due to inadequate diet and/or dietary supplement (DS) use. METHODS: Data on DS use, micronutrient intake (24-h recall), eating habits (FFQ), body height and mass were collected within ACDSi (Analysis of Children's Development in Slovenia) cross-sectional study conducted in 2014. Adolescents enrolled in first year of 15 secondary schools (average (SD) age: 15.4 (0.7) years, N = 342) were included in the sample. RESULTS: Adolescents' use of DS (especially multivitamins ingested as a popular drink (60%), magnesium (16%), and vitamin C (10%)) significantly contributed to their absolute intake of vitamins/minerals, resulting in higher percentage of DS users meeting reference values proposed by the nutrition societies of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (D-A-CH recommendation). Simultaneously, DS users did not exceed the upper tolerable level proposed by the European Food Safety Authority for daily intake. With diet alone, adolescents consumed less than recommended amounts of the following vitamins/minerals: the intake was lowest for fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E; water-soluble vitamins folate, biotin, and pantothenic acid; and minerals fluoride, iodine, chromium, and molybdenum. Suboptimal intake was due to the fact that around ¾ of adolescents consumed less than 54% of the recommended amounts (according to Optimized Mixed Diet (OMD) recommendations) for fruits, vegetables, milk/dairy products, fish, and cereals/cereal products. In contrast, the diet contributed to the consumption of 200-300% of D-A-CH minimum value for sodium. Furthermore, almost ¾ of adolescents exceeded the recommended amount for meat/meat products (320% of OMD) and sweet/salty snacks (453% of OMD). CONCLUSIONS: Although DS use improved micronutrient intake in adolescents (especially vitamin C and magnesium), activities on public-health interventions should be focus to improve their diets, especially to achieve increased intakes of fruits, vegetables, cereals/cereal products and milk/dairy products, and to reduce consumption of sweet/salty snacks and meat products.
RESUMEN
Folate deficiency is associated with various health issues, including anemia, cardiovascular disease, and birth defects. Low folate intake and suboptimal folate status were found in several countries; however, this topic has not yet been investigated in Slovenia. Dietary folate intake and serum folate status were investigated through the nationally representative food consumption study SI.Menu/Nutrihealth. Folate intake was estimated using a sample of N = 1248 subjects aged 10-74 years, stratified in three age groups (adolescents, adults, elderly population), through two 24 h-dietary recalls and food propensity questionnaire. Data on serum folate and homocysteine was available for 280 participants. Very low folate intake (<300 µg/day) was observed in 59% of adolescents, 58% of adults and 68% of elderlies, and only about 12% achieved the WHO recommended level of 400 µg/day. Major dietary contributors were vegetables and fruit, and cereal products. Living environment, education, employment status and BMI were linked with low folate intake in adults; BMI, and sex in adolescents; and sex in elderlies. Considering low serum folate (<7 nmol/L) and high serum homocysteine (>15 nmol/L), folate deficiency was found in 7.6 and 10.5% in adults and elderlies, respectively. Additional public health strategies should be employed to promote the consumption of folate-rich foods. With current folate intakes, supplementation with folic acid is relevant especially in specific vulnerable populations, particularly in women planning and during pregnancy.