Indians deficient in essential micronutrients, including iron and calcium: Lancet
A recent study published in The Lancet Global Health journal has revealed that Indians across all age groups and genders are consuming insufficient amounts of essential micronutrients, such as iron, calcium, and folate. The study, conducted by an international team including researchers from Harvard University, found that nearly 70% of the global population—or over five billion people—do not consume enough iodine, vitamin E, and calcium.
Global micronutrient deficiency affects over 5 billion people
Within individual countries and age groups, women were found to consume inadequate amounts of iodine, vitamin B12 and iron. In contrast, men consumed insufficient amounts of magnesium, vitamin B6, zinc and vitamin C compared to women. According to an international team of experts, including those from Harvard University, the study is the first to present estimates of insufficient consumption of 15 micronutrients across 185 nations.
Gender differences in micronutrient consumption in India
In India, the study found that more women consumed insufficient amounts of iodine compared to men. On the other hand, more Indian men consumed inadequate amounts of zinc and magnesium compared to women. While studies on micronutrient deficiencies have been conducted during the last decade, the researchers said that major data gaps exist for numerous micronutrients and population groups.
Study used Global Dietary Database for estimates
The authors of this study utilized publicly available data from the Global Dietary Database to estimate the prevalence of insufficient nutrient intakes for 99.3% of the global population. They found that men and women aged between 10-30 years were most prone to low levels of calcium intake, especially in regions like South Asia, Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
Findings to aid public health professionals
The authors suggested that their findings could be used by public health professionals to target populations in need of dietary interventions. However, they noted that since they did not account for intake of fortified foods or supplements, the results could possibly be an overestimate for some key nutrients in particular locations where people consume high amounts of fortified foods and supplements.
