Inadequate nutrient intakes in Filipino schoolchildren and adolescents are common among those from rural areas and poor families.

BACKGROUND: Adequate nutrition during childhood and adolescence is essential to promote growth and development. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated usual energy and nutrient intakes of Filipino schoolchildren and adolescents. DESIGN: Food and beverage intakes were collected from a nationally representative sample of schoolchildren aged 6-9 and 10-12 years (n = 3,594 and n = 2,971, respectively) and adolescents aged 13-18 years (n = 5,447) using 24-h dietary recalls. The distributions of usual energy and nutrient intakes and the prevalence of inadequate intakes, which is defined as the percent of children with intakes less than estimated average requirements or acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges, were estimated using the Personal Computer Software for Intake Distribution Estimation (PC-SIDE) program. RESULTS: The results showed that the mean energy intakes were 19-35% lower than estimated energy requirement. High prevalence of inadequate intakes was found for most macro- and micronutrients. Prevalence of inadequacies was as follows: protein 12-47%, total fat (as percentage of energy) 38-52%, calcium 92-94%, iron 75-90%, vitamin C 68-96%, folate 61-93%, vitamin A 58-81%, riboflavin 58-91%, thiamin 27-75%, and phosphorus 18-91%. CONCLUSIONS: Generally, prevalence of inadequacy of key nutrients were relatively high among adolescents and schoolchildren, especially those from poor families and rural areas. This study demonstrated that nutrient intakes of Filipino schoolchildren and adolescents were highly inadequate, particularly among the poor and those living in rural areas.

Fueling an epidemic of non-communicable disease in the Balkans: a nutritional survey of Bosnian adults.

OBJECTIVES: Dietary surveys are essential for guiding national efforts to reduce the burden of non-communicable disease, but individual-level dietary data are lacking in many low- and middle-income countries. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of inadequate and excessive intakes of specific nutrients in Bosnia and Herzegovina. METHODS: A dietary survey among 853 adults using two 24-h recalls. RESULTS: The majority of men (73%) and women (66%) were overweight/obese, and > 50% of participants had elevated blood pressure. Low intakes of N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, specifically α-linolenic acid (men: 94.4 mg/day among, women: 96.6 mg/day) and DHA + EPA (men: 18.2 mg/day, women: 16.0 mg/day), low fiber intake (women: 21.5 g/day), and high sodium (men: 3244 mg/day, women: 2291 mg/) and saturated fatty acids intakes (men: 29.2 g/day) were reported. There was also a suggestion of low intakes of vitamins A, B6, C and D (in both sexes), and of riboflavin, folate, B12 and calcium (in women). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide initial evidence on the Bosnian population's dietary habits and identify aspects that need attention. As the survey evolves into a continuing surveillance system, it will allow evaluation of dietary changes over time.

Nutrient Intakes and Food Sources of Filipino Infants, Toddlers and Young Children are Inadequate: Findings from the National Nutrition Survey 2013.

Comprehensive assessment of nutrient intakes and food sources of nutrients in Filipino children under 5 years old are lacking. We studied energy and nutrient intakes and food sources in 4218 children aged 6⁻59.9 months using two 24-h dietary recalls. Usual energy and nutrient intakes were estimated using the PC-SIDE program. Reported foods and beverages were assigned to one of 85 food groups. Percentage contribution of each food group to nutrient intake was calculated. The results showed that the intake of total fat as a percentage of energy and of most micronutrients were highly inadequate. The prevalence of inadequate nutrient intakes, defined as the percent of children with intakes less than the estimated average requirements (EAR) ranged from 60⁻90% for iron, calcium, vitamin C, and zinc and ranged from 30⁻50% for others such as vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, and phosphorus. The diets of these children were composed of limited foods, namely a large amount of refined rice and other low-nutrient-dense foods (cookies and sugar), while vegetables, fruits, meats, and eggs made little contribution to daily energy or nutrients. These findings provide direction to health professionals developing food-based recommendations and strategies to tackle the shortfalls in the diet of this population.