Principales alimentos con azúcares añadidos y su variación geográfica y sociodemográfica: estudio latinoamericano de nutrición y salud (ELANS) / Main foods with added sugars and their geographic and sociodemographic variation: Latin American study of nutrition and health (ELANS)

Diversos estudios epidemiológicos y de intervención apuntan a una asociación fuerte y consistente entre la ingesta excesiva de azúcares y el riesgo de desarrollar caries dentales y enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles. El objetivo fue describir los 10 principales alimentos que contribuyen a la ingesta de azúcares añadidos en muestras representativas de poblaciones urbanas de ocho países latinoamericanos, y considerar diferencias por país, sexo, nivel socioeconómico (NSE) y grupo de edad. Se realizó una encuesta transversal multinacional en hogares de Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Perú y Venezuela (N=9218; 15­65 años). La contribución porcentual a la ingesta total del nutriente sirvió para identificar los alimentos aportadores. Los datos se estratificaron por país, sexo, NSE y grupo de edad y se compararon los gramos por día. Excepto en Perú y en el grupo de 50 a 65 años, los refrescos figuraron como el principal contribuyente a la ingesta de azúcares añadidos. Las bebidas caseras y las industrializadas también destacaron. Argentina fue el país con mayor ingesta de azúcares añadidos aportados por bebidas industrializadas, y Chile el país con menor frecuencia de bebidas como fuentes. Entre los 10 contribuyentes, la ingesta de azúcares añadidos fue mayor en el sexo masculino, excepto para sacarosa y pasteles dulces. Mayores ingestas de azúcares provenientes del jugo de fruta natural y sacarosa fueron observadas en el NSE más bajo. Las mayores y menores ingestas en los grupos de edad cambian de acuerdo con la fuente alimentaria. En conclusión, las bebidas azucaradas fueron los principales contribuyentes a la ingesta de azúcares añadidos, y la ingesta varió según la ubicación geográfica y los factores sociodemográficos(AU)

This study aimed to describe the top 10 foods that contribute to added sugars intake in representative samples of urban populations in eight Latin American countries, and consider differences by country, sex, socioeconomic level (SEL), and age group. A household-based, multinational, cross-sectional survey was conducted in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela (N=9218; 15­65 years). Contributors to added sugars were identified and listed based on the percentage of contribution to total intake of this nutrient. Data were stratified by country, sex, SEL, and age group, and the grams per day compared. Except in Peru and in the 50 to 65 years age group, soft drinks were the leading contributor to added sugar intake. Homemade beverages together industrialized beverages have been a prominent position on ranking. In general, the highest intake of added sugars by industrialized beverages was from Argentina, and the lowest frequency of beverages as sources of added sugars was observed in Chile. Among the top 10 contributors, male sex had highest added sugar intake, except for sucrose and sweet cakes. Higher intakes of sugars from natural fruit juice and sucrose were observed in the lower SEL. The highest and lowest intakes in the age groups change according to the food source. In conclusion, sugar-sweetened beverages were main contributors to added sugar intake, and the intake vary with geographical location and sociodemographic factors(AU)

Magnesium intake in a Longitudinal Study of Adult Health: associated factors and the main food sources / Ingestão de magnésio no Estudo Longitudinal de Saúde do Adulto: fatores associados e os principais alimentos contribuintes

Abstract This study aimed to identify the sociodemographic and lifestyle factors associated with magnesium intake and describe the main food sources in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brazil). This observational, cross-sectional study was conducted using the baseline data from the ELSA-Brazil (2008-2010). Associations between usual magnesium intake and sociodemographic and lifestyle factors were analyzed using multiple linear regression. Food sources were identified by calculating the percentage contribution of each FFQ item to the amount of magnesium provided by all foods. The analysis was performed using Stata® software (version 12), assuming a statistical significance level of 5%. The top food sources to magnesium intake were as follows: beans, oats, nuts, white rice, orange, French bread, cooked fish, boneless meat, whole milk, and whole wheat bread. There were positive associations between magnesium intake and female sex; age ≥60 years; self-reported black, indigenous, or brown skin colors; per capita income ≥3 minimum wages, and moderate or vigorous physical activity levels. Sociodemographic and lifestyle factors were associated with magnesium intake among the evaluated individuals.

Resumo O estudo tem por objetivo identificar fatores sociodemográficos e de estilo de vida associados à ingestão de magnésio e descrever seus principais alimentos contribuintes no Estudo Longitudinal de Saúde do Adulto (ELSA-Brasil). Trata-se de um estudo observacional, transversal, desenvolvido com dados da linha de base do ELSA-Brasil (2008-2010). Associações entre a ingestão habitual de magnésio e fatores sociodemográficos e de estilo de vida foram testadas por regressão linear múltipla. Contribuintes alimentares foram identificados a partir do cálculo do porcentual de magnésio fornecido por cada item do QFA em relação quantidade total proveniente de todos os alimentos. Os principais alimentos contribuintes para a ingestão de magnésio foram: feijão, aveia, nozes, arroz branco, laranja, pão francês, peixe cozido, carne sem osso, leite integral e pão integral. Foram encontradas associações positivas entre consumo de magnésio e sexo feminino, faixa etária ≥ 60 anos, cor de pele autodeclarada como negra, indígena ou parda, renda "per capita" ≥ 3 salários mínimos e níveis de atividade física moderado ou vigoroso. Alimentos da dieta tradicional do brasileiro foram os maiores contribuintes para a ingestão de magnésio, que também foi influenciada por fatores sociodemográficos e de estilo de vida.

Evolución de la relación entre el consumo de huevo de gallina en el mundo (Gallus gallus domesticus) y los principales alimentos entre 1961 y 2009 / Changes in the relationship of egg consumption and other principle food groups between 1961 and 2009; globally

RESUMEN Introducción: el huevo de gallina es un alimento de gran valor nutricional y es importante conocer las relaciones existentes del consumo de éste con respecto a los principales alimentos de origen animal y vegetal. Objetivo: determinar las relaciones entre los alimentos respecto al consumo de huevo, para el período entre1961 y el 2009 en el mundo. Materiales y métodos: teniendo en cuenta la base de datos de la FAO, se extrajo el consumo per-cápita de los principales grupos alimenticios, se aplicó la técnica de componentes principales (ACP), para detectar el porcentaje total de variabilidad y a la vez el nivel de asociación entre un grupo con predominio de las fuentes de origen animal, otro con predominio de fuentes de origen vegetal y el consumo de huevo. Resultados: en la década del 60 el huevo tuvo un aporte del 14,4 % en la explicación de la relación asociada con el grupo de alimentos predominantemente de origen animal, mientras para la primera década del 2000 solo fue del 4,2 %. Conclusión: las tendencias del consumo de huevo a nivel mundial han cambiado a través del tiempo en las décadas del 60 y el 70, y se ubicaba como el quinto alimento más importante consumido en el mundo, mientras en la primera década del 2000 se localizó en el octavo lugar.

ABSTRACT Introduction the chicken egg is a food of high nutritional value and it is important to understand the relationship between egg consumption other common foods of animal and vegetable origin. Objective determine the relationship between common foods and egg consumption globally during the years 1961 to 2009. Materials and Methods Using FAO databases, per capita consumption of major food groups was extracted and the principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to detect the total percentage of variability and the level of association between groups with predominant animal source intake and those with predominant vegetable and egg source intakes. Results: In the 1960's the egg contributed 14.5 % of intake in its food group, while in the decade 2000, the egg's contribution to its food groups was just 4.8 %. Conclusion Egg consumption trends worldwide have changed over time; in the 1960s and 1970s the egg is ranked as the fifth most consumed food in the world, while in the 2000s it ranked eighth.

Trans Fatty Acid Levels in Foods and Intakes among Population Aged 3 Years and above in Beijing and Guangzhou Cities, China / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To understand the dietary intake levels of trans fatty acids (TFA) in a Chinese population and establish a basis for health risk assessment of trans fatty acids.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The TFA contents data of 2613 food items and food consumption data of 10,533 people aged 3 years and above in two large cities in China were matched and a simple assessment method was used to estimate the distribution of dietary TFA intake.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mean content of TFA was highest in margarine (1.68 ± 0.83 g/100g), followed by chocolate and candy (0.89 ± 2.68 g/100g), edible vegetable oils (0.86 ± 0.82 g/100g), milk (0.83 ± 1.56 g/100g), and bakery foods (0.41 ± 0.91 g/100g). TFA intake accounted for 0.34%, 0.30%, 0.32%, and 0.29% of the total energy intake in the 3-6, 7-12, 13-17, and ⋝18 year age groups, respectively. Of the populations studied, 0.42% demonstrated TFA intakes (as percentage of energy intake) greater than 1%. The main sources of dietary TFA intake were edible vegetable oils, milk, mutton, and beef, and baked foods, which accounted for 49.8%, 16.56%, 12.21%, and 8.87%, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The current intake of TFA among people in two cities did not appear to be of major health concern regarding the threshold of TFA intake as the percentage of total energy recommended by the World Health Organization. Because most TFA were derived from industrially processed foods, the government should reinforce nutrition labeling and regulate food producers to further reduce TFA in food and to provide scientific instruction for consumers to make sound choices.</p>

Dietary intake of fats and fatty acids in the Korean population: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2013

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to estimate average total fat and fatty acid intakes as well as identify major food sources using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) VI-1 (2013). SUBJECTS/METHODS: Total fat and fatty acid intakes were estimated using 24-hour dietary recall data on 7,048 participants aged > or = 3 years from the KNHANES VI-1 (2013). Data included total fat, saturated fatty acid (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), n-3 fatty acid (n-3 FA), and n-6 fatty acid (n-6 FA) levels. Population means and standard errors of the mean were weighted in order to produce national estimates and separated based on sex, age, income, as well as residential region. Major food sources of fat, SFA, MUFA, PUFA, n-3 FA, and n-6 FA were identified based on mean consumption amounts of fat and fatty acids in each food. RESULTS: The mean intake of total fat was 48.0 g while mean intakes of SFA, MUFA, PUFA, n-3 FA, and n-6 FA were 14.4 g, 15.3 g, 11.6 g, 1.6 g, and 10.1 g, respectively. Intakes of MUFA and SFA were each higher than that of PUFA in all age groups. Pork was the major source of total fat, SFA, and MUFA, and soybean oil was the major source of PUFA. Milk and pork were major sources of SFA in subjects aged 3-11 years and > or = 12 years, respectively. Perilla seed oil and soybean oil were main sources of n-3 FA in subjects aged > or = 50 years and aged < 50 years, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Estimation of mean fatty acid intakes of this study using nationally represented samples of the Korean population could be useful for developing and evaluating national nutritional policies.

Dietary folate intake and food sources of children and adolescents in Chungcheong area - Using nutrient database revised by measured folate in selected foods / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to estimate dietary folate intake and food sources of children and adolescents using a nutrient database revised based on measured folate in selected foods. METHODS: Folate content in 51 foods known as folate sources was measured by microbiological assay after trienzyme extraction. Folate intake was estimated from a part of the data of 'Dietary Intake Survey of Infants, Children and Adolescents in 2007~2008' conducted by the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) and the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI). The study subjects were 567 children aged 1~19 years living in the Chungcheong area who completed two 24-hour recalls. RESULTS: Folate values were revised by replacing the values in the current database with the analyzed values except when the value in the current database was between the analytical values or was not different from the mean analytical value by more than 10%. Among the revised values of 40 food items, folate values of 36 foods were lower than the current values. Mean folate intakes estimated with the revised database were approximately 70~80% lower than those estimated with the current database. Mean folate intakes of males aged 12~14 and females aged 12~19 were lower than the 2010 Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNIs). Chicken's eggs, Kimchi, rice, mandarin, and laver were found to be main food sources of folate. CONCLUSION: In this study, mean dietary folate intakes were lower than those estimated with the current database. Further analyses for folate content especially in cooked foods commonly consumed in Korea are needed using a reliable assay in order to accurately assess folate intake of the Korean population. In addition, nutrition education should be provided for adolescent females in order to increase consumption of folate-rich foods.

Occurrence of Vitamin D Deficiency among Women in North Sumatera, Indonesia

Low levels of serum 25(OH)D in women are reported in temperate countries, and increasingly so in tropical countries but few such studies have been reported in Indonesia. This study was aimed at assessing the serum vitamin D status and its associated factors in a sample of Indonesian women Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 156 apparently healthy women during the dry season in North Sumatera. The measurements carried out included exposure to sun's rays, intake of vitamin D food sources, reported physical activity, body fatness (by bioelectrical impedance analysis), and serum 25(OH)D levels (by chemiluminescent immunoassay). Serum 25(OH)D levels were categorised into: deficient(<20 ng/mL), insufficient (20-32 ng/mL), sufficient (32-100 ng/ mL), and normal for tropical countries (54-90 ng/mL). Statistical analysis included Pearson correlation, independent t-test, and one way ANOVA tests. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 35.6±7.7 years, with about 70% working indoors. About half of the women were obese. The majority had low vitamin D intake. More than half had sun ray exposure of less than 1 hour, and moreover, nearly two-thirds of them wore the 'hijab' that covers most parts of their body. The majority of women reported low physical activity level. The mean serum 25(OH)D level of the subjects was 17.71 ng/mL (95% CI: 16.22, 19.34 ng/mL). Of the total, 95% (148) were in the vitamin D deficient-insufficient category, with the remaining 5% in the sufficient category. An association was found between occupation, dietary intake of vitamin D, sun ray exposure, and physical activity levels with serum vitamin D concentrations. Conclusion: The results showed that vitamin D deficiency can occur in women living in a tropical country if they have sun-avoiding lifestyles, work indoors, and have low dietary intake of vitamin D.

Trend in dietary calcium intake among Chinese elderly aged 50 years and over in nine provinces, from 1991 to 2009 / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To understand the daily calcium intake and the dietary sources,as well as its trends from 1991 to 2009 in Chinese elderly aged 50 years and over.Methods Consecutive 3 d-24 hr Dietary Recall Data from the seven waves of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) was used to describe the status and trends of daily calcium intake and its food sources.Results Between 1991 and 2009,the daily intake of calcium in the Chinese elderly showed an increasing trend.In 2009,the average intakes of calcium in Chinese elderly men and women were 400.2 mg/day and 352.7 mg/day,respectively.72.0％-82.2％ of males and 78.8％-88.0％ of females had their calcium intake less than half of the recommended amount of adequate intakes,but only 0.4％-3.9％ of males and 0.4％-3.0％ of females had their calcium intake equal or higher than the recommended amount of intakes.The sources of dietary calcium were mainly from vegetables,legumes,and cereals for the Chinese elderly,accounting for more than 70％ of the average daily intakes.Conclusion During the past twenty years,the average daily calcium intake of the Chinese elderly still remained at low level while the optimal calcium sources as milk and legumes,were under-consumed.

Vitamin A Intakes and Food Sources of Vitamin A in Female University Students / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The purpose of this study was to estimate the daily intake of vitamin A in Korean female university students. Vitamin A intake was estimated using an inconsecutive 3-day dietary intake survey from 481 young women. Vitamin A intake values were calculated based on the data in USDA database. Average age, height, and weight of the subjects were 20.05 years, 162.13 cm and 54.38 kg, respectively. The subject's average intake of energy was 1645.67 kcal. The mean vitamin A, retinol and beta carotene intakes were 908.35 +/- 863.18 ug retinol equivalent/day, 199.19 +/- 166.00 ug/day and 3872.59 +/- 4972.17 ug/day, respectively. The 21.83% of the subjects consumed less than the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) for vitamin A. And subjects consumed 141.69% of the Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) for vitamin A. Food groups consumed with high vitamin A content in our subjects included vegetables (423.96 ug RE/day), potato and starches (213.64 ug RE/day), cereals (62.60 ug RE/day), eggs (55.17 ug RE/day) and milks (53.45 ug RE/day). The major food sources of vitamin A were sweet potato, carrot, spinach, egg, and cereal, and the top 30 foods provided 89.57% of total vitamin A. Also animal-derived food provided 9.65% of the vitamin A intake from the top 30 foods. In conclusion, judging from RNI, the vitamin A intake of the Korean female university students in this study was generally adequate. The result of our study may be used as a basis for follow-up studies of vitamin A intake like assessment of vitamin A nutritional status or evaluation of carotenoid food sources in Korean young women.

Intakes and Major Food Sources of Vitamins A and E of Korean Adults Living in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province

To determine vitamin A and E intakes and their food sources, dietary intakes were collected by three consecutive 24-hour recalls from 192 adults living in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, Korea. The mean vitamin A, retinol and beta-carotene intakes were 1240.1 +/- 1101.1 microg retinol equivalent/day (693.3 +/- 563.2 microg retinol activity equivalent/day), 182.6 +/- 149.5 microg/day and 5443.3 +/- 6365.5 microg/day, respectively. Only 9.4% of the subjects consumed less than the Korean Estimated Average Requirement for vitamin A. The mean vitamin E intake was 6.03 +/- 2.54 mg alpha-tocopherol equivalent/day. The alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol intakes were 4.83 +/- 2.03 and 5.57 +/- 3.41 mg/day, respectively. Most of the subjects (93.8%) consumed less than the Korean Adequate Intake for vitamin E. The major food sources of vitamin A were sweet potato, carrot, red pepper powder, spinach, and citrus fruit, and the top 30 foods provided 91.5% of total Plant foods provided 81.0% and animalderived foods 10.5% of the vitamin A intake from the top 30 foods. The major food sources of vitamin E were soybean oil, red pepper powder, Ramyeon (cup noodles), spinach, and egg. The top 30 foods provided 78.0% of total vitamin E intake. Plant foods provided 61.3% and animal-derived foods 15.9% of the vitamin E intake from the top 30 foods. In conclusion, the vitamin A intake of the Korean adults in this study was ge-nerally adequate, but the vitamin E intake of many subjects was inadequate. Therefore, nutritional education may be of benefit to Korean adults to increase their vitamin E intake.

Calcium Intake among Myanmar Residing in Bago, Kayin, and Yangon Areas

A cross-sectional survey combined with 24-hour dietary recall and food diary was undertaken to assess the calcium intake of the Myanmar population. The study was conducted from November 2003 to October 2005. A total of 886 subjects of both sexes aged above 2 years from three States and Divisions (Bago, Kayin, and Yangon) of Myanmar were included in the study. The major measures were mean daily calcium intake (mg/day) and major sources of calcium in the diet. Overall mean calcium intake was 197+13mg/day (2-9 years), 421+2mg/day (10-19 years), 399+21 mg/day (20-49 years), and 383+25mg/day (>50 years) for males, while the corresponding values for females were 207+17 mg/day, 366+19 mg/day, 387+16 mg/day, and 327 +19 mg/day. Calcium intake was less than 80% of the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for Myanmar for ages 2-9 years and 10-29 years in all the study areas, and for the 50 years and above age group in Yangon. Fish paste was found to be the major source of calcium. Milk and milk products contributed very little to total calcium intake, contributing 2.1% for residents in Yangon, 5.1% in Pa-an and none in Bago. Consumption of calciumrich foods, particularly milk and milk products, should be encouraged among the Myanmar people. Towards this end, appropriate nutrition education materials should be developed for promotional purposes.

A Study on Nutrient Intake Status and Food Sources of Iron by Dietary Iron Density of High School Girls in Seoul

This study was conducted to examine nutrient intake status and iron food sources by dietary iron density of high school girls in Seoul. The subjects of 226 girls were divided into High group (> or = 6 mg/1,000 kcal, N = 115) and Low group (< 6 mg/1,000 kcal, N = 111) by dietary iron density. The nutrient intake data obtained by 24-hour recall method were analyzed by Can pro 3.0 software. Mean age of all subjects was 16.4 years old, heights and weights of High group and Low group were 164.5 cm, 53.4 kg and 161.7 cm, 51.7 kg, respectively. The body mass index (BMI) of High group and Low group was 20.5 kg/m2 and 19.8 kg/m2, respectively. Most nutrient intakes except energy and lipid intakes of High group were higher than those of Low group. High group showed significantly higher intakes of total iron, vegetable iron and animal iron than Low group. Ca and folate intakes of High group were under 75% of the recommended intake (RI) and Ca, iron, folate and vitamin C intakes of Low group were under 65% of RI. The percentage of subjects who consumed iron less than estimated average requirements (EAR) were 40.0% in High group and 77.5% in Low group. Total food intakes of High group showed higher than that of Low group. Total animal food intakes were significantly higher and total vegetable food intakes were significantly lower in Low group than those of High group. Iron intake from meats, fishes, shell fishes and seasonings were significantly higher in High group than Low group. Iron intake from milk and dairy products were significantly lower in High group than Low group. Major food sources of iron were rice, bean curd, pork, and egg in order among both groups.

A Study on the Fat and Fatty Acid Intake of College Women Evaluated through Internet Nutritional Assessment System

The purpose of this study was to investigate dietary fat and individual fatty acids intake pattern of 174 college women living in Seoul and Gyong-gi province through internet nutritional assessment system. Each of the subjects was required to input their own food intake for three days, which included two days during the week and one day of the weekend, on the web program directly and all of the data collected were used for statistical analysis. The mean daily caloric intake of the subjects was 1,500.9 kcal which was at 71.5% of Estimated Energy Requirement (EER ). Dietary fat contributed 27.6% of the total caloric intake which was slightly higher than the recommended limit of 25%. Daily cholesterol intake was 310.0 mg, which was also high to some degree. Mean daily N6 and N3 fatty acid intake was 6.1 g and 0.9 g, respectively, and calory % calculated from each were 3.63% and 0.53%. This result showed the intake of N3 fatty acid fell in Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR )0.5 ~1.0% but that of N6 fatty acid was somewhat lower than the AMDR 4 ~8%. N6/N3 ratio 8.5/1, however, was within the desirable range 4 ~10/1. Considering overall dietary fatty acids intake, oleic acid was the most abundant, followed by linoleic and palmitic acid. And among polyunsaturated fatty acids intake, linoleic acid was exclusively high, accounting for 97.4% of total N6 fatty acid intake. On the contrary, three fatty acids, linolenic (67.3%), DHA (21.1%)and EPA (10.0%), together supplied 98.4% of total N3 fatty acid intake. Mean P/M/S was 0.9/1.1/1.0. The subjects' intake of fat, many fatty acids and cholesterol came from diverse food groups including meats, fats and oils, milk and milk products, eggs, fish, and soybean products. Nevertheless, the subjects tended to show unfavorable fat and fatty acids intake pattern in terms of quantity and quality. Based on these results, it is important to monitor dietary fat intake pattern of the general population continuously and an internet program such as the one used for this study would be valuable, especially for assessing dietary patterns in the younger generation.

Folate intake and food sources in Japanese female dietitians

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess intake of folate/folic acid and food sources in Japanese female dietitians.</p><p><b>SUBJECTS AND METHODS</b>We evaluated folate consumption based on four season 7 consecutive day weighed diet records (WDRs) provided by 80 Japanese female dietitians and compared the results with data from a national survey. We then selected informative foods for folate intake on the basis of 2,240 WDRs according to contribution and multiple regression analyses.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Daily folate consumption (mean±SD) among Japanese dietitians was 413±158 μg from raw foods and 343±128 μg from cooked foods. Average residual rate after cooking was 84±8%. Folate intake in summer was lower than that in other seasons by analysis of variance. According to contribution and multiple regression analyses, the major contributors were vegetables, fruit and green tea.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Daily folate intake among Japanese female dietitians was far greater than the 200 μg recommended daily allowance for the Japanese. Irrespective of selection methods and raw/cooked foods, major folate sources were found to be green tea along with vegetables and fruit.</p>

Folate Intake and Food Sources in Japanese Female Dietitians

Objective: To assess intake of folate/folic acid and food sources in Japanese female dietitians. Subjects and Methods: We evaluated folate consumption based on four season 7 consecutive day weighed diet records (WDRs) provided by 80 Japanese female dietitians and compared the results with data from a national survey. We then selected informative foods for folate intake on the basis of 2,240 WDRs according to contribution and multiple regression analyses. Results: Daily folate consumption (mean±SD) among Japanese dietitians was 413±158 μg from raw foods and 343±128 μg from cooked foods. Average residual rate after cooking was 84±8%. Folate intake in summer was lower than that in other seasons by analysis of variance. According to contribution and multiple regression analyses, the major contributors were vegetables, fruit and green tea. Conclusions: Daily folate intake among Japanese female dietitians was far greater than the 200 μg recommended daily allowance for the Japanese. Irrespective of selection methods and raw/cooked foods, major folate sources were found to be green tea along with vegetables and fruit.